Vermont Passes Phthalates Law

On May 24, 2008, Vermont Governor Jim Douglas signed into law Senate Bill 261, (Act No. 171), An Act Relating to Phthalates in Products for Young Children. This law prohibits the manufacture, sale or distribution of any toy or child care article intended for use by a child under three years of age if that product contains di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent. In addition, this law prohibits the manufacture, sale or distribution of any toy or child care article intended for use by a child under three years of age if that product can be placed in the child’s mouth and contains diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), or di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent. These restrictions are effective July 1, 2009. Read more.

US Federal and State Lead Regulations Still Being Debated

The children's products industry in the United States continues to find itself in a regulatory predicament as it awaits the outcome of the proposed CPSC Reform Act as well as pending state product safety legislation. At least 16 states have passed new requirements regulating children’s products while Congress continues to debate the finalities of the CPSC Reform Act. Both the House and Senate have agreed to lower the lead limit, currently 600 ppm, but disagree on when the new limit would take effect. Debate continues on whether or not to include other chemical restrictions in addition to lead. Also to be determined is the age at which children’s products would apply: age 7 or age 12. Read more.