CPSC Prohibits Certain Phthalates in Children's Toys and Child Care Products
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted 3 to 2 on October 18, 2017 to issue a final rule prohibiting children's toys and child care articles containing more than 0.1 percent of certain phthalate chemicals. The rule will take effect 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Phthalates are used to make vinyl and other plastics soft and pliable. Ingestion of certain phthalates can have harmful health effects on children.
The Commission's final rule bans children's toys and child care articles containing more than 0.1 percent of five specific phthalate chemicals. The rule is based on recommendations from a Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP), which examined the health effects of phthalates in children's toys and child care articles. Based on the CHAP's report, CPSC majority determined that these five phthalate chemicals cause harmful effects on male reproductive development:
- diisononyl phthalate (DINP);
- di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPENP);
- di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHEXP);
- dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP); or,
- diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP).
Congress permanently prohibited children's toys and child care articles containing concentrations of more than 0.1 percent of three additional phthalates in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA):
- di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP);
- dibutyl phthalate (DBP); or,
- benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)
The final rule brings to eight the total number of phthalates that are restricted from use in children's toys and child care articles at concentrations of more than 0.1 percent.
The CPSIA also established an interim prohibition on "children's toys that can be placed in a child's mouth and child care articles" containing concentrations of more than 0.1 percent of diisononyl phthalate (DINP), di-n-octyl (DNOP) or diisodecyl (DIDP). The Commission's rule makes the interim prohibition regarding DINP permanent and expands it to cover "all children's toys and child care articles" containing concentrations of more than 0.1 percent of DINP.
The final rule removes the interim prohibition regarding DNOP and DIDP. CPSC has determined that these phthalates do not cause adverse effects on male reproductive development, and other risks attendant to their use are low.
The Commission also issued a notice of requirements (NOR) for accreditation of laboratories to test for the newly prohibited phthalates in children's toys and child care articles.
Children's toys are defined by the CPSIA as products designed or intended by the manufacturer for play by a child 12 years of age or younger. Child care articles are consumer products designed or intended by the manufacturer to facilitate sleep or the feeding of children age three and younger, or to help children with sucking or teething.
Commissioner Statements
Statement of Commissioner Joseph P. Mohorovic
Statement of Commissioner Elliot F. Kaye
About U.S. CPSC:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
For more lifesaving information, follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC or sign up to receive our e-mail alerts. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at 301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired.
CPSC Consumer Information Hotline
Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:
800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)
Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.
Media Contact
Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.
Phone: 301-504-7908
Spanish: 301-504-7800
SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Share this article