Nov 19, 2006 San Francisco Chronicle
| Phthalates The San Francisco law prohibits
the manufacture, sale or distribution of toys and child
care products if they contain the phthalates DEHP, DBP or
BBP in levels higher than 0.1 percent. Products for
children younger than 3 are banned if they contain DINP,
DIDP or DnOP in levels exceeding 0.1 percent. Production: Made by Dow Chemical, Bayer, General Electric Plastics, Sunoco Chemicals and Hexion Specialty Chemicals. |
Widely used chemicals with suspected links to cancer
and developmental problems in humans are present in common baby
products like the yellow rubber ducky, bath books and clear
plastic bottles, a Chronicle analysis confirmed.
The toxic chemicals, which are used to harden or soften plastics,
can leach out each time a baby sucks on a favorite doll or gnaws
on a cool teething ring, scientists say.
Starting Dec. 1, a
first-in-the-nation ban goes into effect in San Francisco, prohibiting the sale, distribution and
manufacture of baby products containing any level of bisphenol A
and certain levels of phthalates.
The law, modeled on a European Union ban that started this year,
reflects emerging concerns by environmental health scientists
over the buildup of industrial chemicals in humans, particularly
young children. Especially under scrutiny are chemicals that
mimic estrogen, possibly disrupting the hormonal system and
altering the normal workings of genes.
Yet the trouble is that no one knows for sure how many baby
products contain the chemicals. Stores, many of which are still
unaware of the pending ban, will be unable to decide what to take
off the shelves because manufacturers aren't required to disclose
what chemicals go into a product. For that reason, The Chronicle
set out to test several common baby toys and found that most of them even ones labeled
"safe, non-toxic" contained the chemicals.