TIA opposes N.Y City Council bill on toy chemical

By Justin Grant for Reuters, June 28, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Toy Industry Association said on Thursday a proposed New York City Council bill restricting the sale of toys containing phthalates "is not supported by science" at a hearing before the council's Health Committee.

In proposing the bill, the Health Committee cited a study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency on pregnant rats, who gave birth to male rats with deformed genitals after being fed types of phthalate -- a chemical ingredient used to soften plastics like those used in baby toys.

"Others believe the impact of phthalates on humans will have at least some similarities to that found in animal studies," according to the proposed bill.

But the Toy Industry Association, which represents most American toy companies and importers -- including Amazon.com -- vehemently disagreed with the committee's assessment of the potential dangers phthalates pose to children.

"We are quite concerned by reports that ignore or misinterpret the science and ignore its nearly 50-year history of safe use," said Joan Lawrence, vice president of standards and regulatory affairs for the TIA.

"Independent government research confirms that children are not at risk when they play with toys softened with the phthalate di-isononyl," (DINP) Lawrence said in testimony before the Health Committee.

Phthalates are also used to preserve many cosmetics and are used to make fragrances last longer.

The American Chemistry Council maintains phthalates are safe and the U.S. government has not limited their use. San Francisco is the nation's only city to ban the sale of products containing phthalates.

The European Union banned their use in some products, including baby toys in 1999.

Dr. Maida P. Galvez, an assistant professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine supported a ban and said it would be unwise to await the results of studies on humans.

"We have seen this cycle of public health tragedies time and again with lead, asbestos, mercury and countless other environmental hazards," Galvez said. "We must ensure that toys and products are free from harmful chemicals such as phthalates."

Jeff Holtzman, Chief Executive of New York-based toy company The Goldberger Company, said he supports the committee's position on limiting phthalates, but said inaccessible parts of toys -- like their inside mechanisms -- shouldn't be subject to restrictions placed on the surface of a toy.

"It is not necessary for the proposed bill to include materials which would never come in contact with a child's mouth," Holtzman said. "If a toy has a mechanism inside that contains phthalates as many electronic mechanisms do, the child is essentially at no risk."