President To Take Hard Line with Toxic Softeners
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August 11, 2008
Washington, D.C. - Fun shouldn't be hazardous to a child's health, and the President is expected to take action as soon as this week to make playtime a little safer for Virginia kids. The White House has said he'll sign a bill that bans several types of phthalates that are used as a softener in plastic ducks and other toys.
Andy Igrejas with the Pew Charitable Trusts' environmental health campaign says the reform is long overdue, but the toy ban won't keep families totally safe.
"Children are exposed to phthalates from other products like shower curtains and vinyl flooring. They're also exposed to other chemicals, some of which have toxic properties."
The bill also strengthens the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Igrejas says the system designed to protect consumers has been broken for a while.
"This kind of thing isn't an aberration. The policy that is supposed to make sure that chemicals are safe really doesn't work."
Critics of the ban say some phthalates are safe for kids and have been better-tested than the alternatives. Currently, the chemicals are banned in three U.S. states and in Europe.