What the States Are Doing About Toxic Toys
2 November 2007California is a leader in this area, having enacted Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act as a ballot initiative in November1986. Groups like California’s Center for Environmental Health have used the law to win legal agreements to eliminate lead threats from diaper creams, children’s medicines, home water filters, vinyl lunch boxes, and baby bibs. To emphasize the importance of this state action, even if federal law was being enforced (which it isn’t), the federal CPSC legally allows 350 times more lead in products than are allowed under California law.
Another key state initiative has been the Toxics in Packaging Act, drafted by the Coalition of Northeastern Governors in 1989 and adopted by 19 states, which requires that concentrations of four toxic metals (including lead) be reduced to less than 100 parts per million — a far lower level than the 600 parts per million allowed by the federal government.
In 2006, the City of San Francisco became the first city to ban the sale, distribution and manufacture of baby products containing any level of bisphenol A and certain levels of phthalates, key toxics often used in childrens’ toys. With the state of California following suit in 2007 with the passage of AB 1108 banning most phthalates, many manufacturers removed these toxins from plastic bottles, teething rings and other toys.
Source: Stateside Dispatch, November 1, 2007
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