San Jose Mercury News
Here's a familiar picture: You give a rubber ducky, bath book or other soft plastic toy to a toddler. Within minutes, it ends up in the child's mouth.
That's why Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger should sign legislation on his desk that would ban chemicals called phthalates (pronounced THA-laytes) from toys intended for children under age three. The chemicals could be harmful if ingested over time. AB 1108, the "toxic toys" bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, would offer toy-safety protections that the youngest children deserve.
Starting in January 2009, it would prohibit the production and sale in California of toys or child care items for kids under 3 that contain certain phthalates in concentrations of more than 0.1 percent. It also would require manufacturers to use the least toxic alternative when replacing phthalates, which are chemicals that soften plastic. The bill is supported by Environment California, the Breast Cancer Fund and the California Nurses Association.
Phthalates have been linked to hormonal disruptions, reproductive and genital defects, premature birth and early puberty. The risk is that they can leach out over time as children suck or chew on their teethers or toys.
To be sure, the scientific debate around the health risks of phthalates isn't settled. Urging a veto of AB 1108, the chemical industry has mounted a campaign, including print and TV ads, asserting that the main phthalate found in toys has been used safely for years and pointing to a Consumer Product Safety Commission study concluding that the chemical didn't pose a risk to children's health.
But even if scientific opinion is divided, prevention should trump, in the case of toys and children. Babies and toddlers are the most vulnerable since they're always chewing or sucking on things.
Already, the European Union plus 14 other nations, including Japan, Mexico, Argentina and Fiji, have banned or restricted phthalates. Four of the six phthalates targeted in AB 1108 are on California's Proposition 65 list of harmful chemicals.
Getting the governor's signature may be a long shot. In previous years, proposals to ban phthalates have died in the state Legislature. This year, AB 1108 squeaked through by the slimmest majority vote in each chamber amid intense debate and heavy lobbying.
Toy safety concerns have mounted recently because of massive recalls of Chinese-made toys with lead paint. Banning potentially toxic chemicals from toys would be a prudent step toward giving parents peace of mind and providing safeguards that young children need.