Assembly Health Committee OKs Ban on Toxic Plastic
A type of plastic linked to increased risk for cancer and other health problems would be banned from use in some children's products under a measure approved by the Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday, MediaNews/San Jose Mercury News reports.
Nine committee members voted in favor of AB 1108, the minimum needed for it to pass out of committee.
The legislation would prohibit toy and infant care companies from making products that contain some types of phthalates, a chemical ingredient that helps make plastic soft and flexible. It is often used in toys, feeding bottles and other products for infants.
The European Union and 14 countries have banned the substance or are in the process of phasing it out.
California's antitoxics law, Proposition 65, lists phthalates as reproductive toxins (Harmon, MediaNews/San Jose Mercury News, 5/9).