The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved a ban on five phthalate chemicals from plastic used in children’s toys and child care articles. The CPSC also issued new requirements for labs to be able to test for the newly prohibited phthalates. The rule goes into effect 180 days after it is published in the Federal Register.
In 2013 the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act limited some use of these chemicals in toys and other children’s articles. In late 2014, the CPSC proposed to ban five types of phthalates in children’s toys and child care articles due to these health risks. The agency finalized its rule on phthalates in response to a legal settlement approved by a judge in a lawsuit brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Environmental Justice Health Alliance (EJHA) and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) against the CPSC last December.
Click here to review examples of Caltha projects related to Safety and Product Safety.