Children's toys, including teethers and pacifiers, tainted by the presence of the controversial chemical phthalate will remain for sale for now and even after a ban takes effect on February 10, 2009, provided they were manufactured before that date, according to a decision by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Washington Post reports, "Some Toys With Banned Plastics Will Stay On Market."
Phthalates are a chemical used in soft plastics and are linked to reproductive problems. Their use was banned by a law passed in August. However, the Commission's ruling will allow products made before that date which use the banned substance to be sold, even after February 10, 2009.
The Commission proposes a remedy that is unworkable; it says that concerned parents can call a product's manufacturer and find out when the item was made. This is a proposal untethered from reality. One can first question the reliability of any information a parent would receive. Do you call before the item is purchased? Do you identify the item on the store shelf, call and return later hoping to find the same item on the shelf? Ignoring these realities the Commission caved into industry's complaints about complying with this law protecting families and their children.
