New Law Bans Harmful Phthalates

On August 14th, President Bush signed a federal bill that bans six toxic phthalates from children's products. His signature bolsters Congress' overwhelming support for this legislation, and sends a clear message that toxic chemicals have no place in toys.

More than a dozen countries along with the European Union have moved to ban or restrict phthalates. California, Washington and Vermont have all passed legislation to limit phthalate use in children's products and several other states are considering similar restrictions.

The U.S. phthalate ban is part of a consumer product safety reform bill that easily passed the Senate with an 89-3 on the heels of a 424-1 vote in the House. The ban takes effect in six months.

Lawmakers crafted the bill in response to recent product recalls of a long list of consumer products, including toys found to contain unsafe levels of lead paint, and growing worries about the ineffectiveness of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC.

Public health advocates hailed approval of the ban and suggested it may signal a shift in U.S. chemicals policy.

Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates), or phthalate esters, are a group of chemical compounds often used in manufacturing. They are widely used in the manufacture of plastics (especially PVC products) including plastic bags, garden hoses, plastic bottles, food storage containers, and toys. They are used as solvents or fragrance in perfumes, nail polish, soaps, shampoos, hair spray, adhesives, caulk, and paint pigments. Testing undertaken by the Environmental Working Group revealed that phthalates appear in around 75% of all personal care products. However, since they are components of "fragrance", they are not explicitly listed on product ingredient labels.

Phthalates are controversial because many studies have shown a link between high doses of phthalates and hormonal activity with effects including damage to the liver and testes and birth defects. In 2004, a joint Swedish-Danish research team found a very strong link between allergies in children and certain phthalates. Testing conducted by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that a majority of Americans have metabolites of multiple phthalates in their urine. A study published in 2008 emphasized that baby care products are of particular concern for infant exposure to phthalates. Use of leading brands of infant lotion, infant powder, and infant shampoo were associated with increases in phthalate metabolites in infant urine. The study suggests that skin exposure contributes significantly to phthalates in this population. Because of infants' high exposure to baby care products per body area, their limited metabolic capabilities, and their developing endocrine and reproductive systems, they are especially vulnerable to potential adverse effects of phthalates.

While the new federal ban applies to "children's products", we'll need to continue to be vigilant consumers to avoid toxic phthalates. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid PVC plastic items and containers - you can identify them by the Number 3 plastic recycle symbol. Other things to watch out for include:

• Paints: Paints often contain phthalates as solvents, so choose no-VOC or low-VOC paints when possible. If using conventional paints, make sure the space is well-ventilated.
  Fragrances: Diethyl Phthalate (DEP) is often used as a fragrance component, but is not required to be listed as an ingredient. In general, avoid products that have the generic word "fragrance" in their ingredients. Products made with essential oils are a safe alternative.
• Synthetic Air Fresheners: As with fragrance in personal care products, most conventional air fresheners contain phthalates. Again, products made with essential oils are safe alternatives.
• Nail Polish: Dibutyl Phthalate (or "DBT") is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Avoid polish that includes this ingredient.
• Kitchen Plastics: Phthalates are generally more likely to leach out of plastic when it's heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving items in plastic containers.
• Soft Plastic Toys: Don't give them to children - instead, opt for toys made from wood, cotton, or other phthalate-free materials, especially during ages when children tend to put everything in their mouths!
• Vinyl Products: Vinyl is used in many different products, including building materials, garden hoses, lawn furniture, and some items of clothing (like raincoats or belts). One easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtains and liners. The strong "new shower curtain" smell results from chemical off-gassing, and indicates that your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.

Jane Houlihan, Environmental Working Group's vice president for research, commented on the new phthalate ban - "This long-overdue action is not only a victory for parents and children, but an encouraging sign that Congress recognizes that our chemical regulatory system needs reform".

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