Safer Kids' Stuff on the Horizon
Thanks to a groundbreaking new law passed in the summer of
2008, playthings and other kids' products must be deemed safe
before they actually make it to the store shelves and,
ultimately, children's hands. What's more, lead is being
officially phased out of kids' merchandise, once and for
all.
Still reeling from millions of unsettling recalls in 2007, many
moms and dads spent 2008 wondering what's really safe - and
with good reason. But now change
is
coming, courtesy of the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement
Act. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will be
able to: enforce and oversee mandatory testing of products
before
they ever leave the manufacturing room floor, remove unsafe
merchandise from shelves faster, and give hefty fines to companies
that don't follow the letter of the law. Plus, companies
won't be able to make, import, or sell toys or items for kids
under age 12 beyond a new lead limit
and
phthalates (chemicals used to soften plastics and rubber) in toys
and childcare items (like teethers and pacifiers) will be
banned.
But government agencies couldn't come to an agreement in
2008 about another worrisome chemical - bisphenol A (BPA), found in
polycarbonate plastics (usually clear, hard items like baby and
water bottles) and epoxy resins (used in bottle tops, water pipes,
and the linings of food and infant formula cans). The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) said trace amounts migrating into food
containers containing BPA
aren't
hazardous for babies
or
grown-ups. But the National Toxicology Program (NTP) looked at
animal studies and expressed concern that BPA exposure during
development could cause changes in behavior and the brain,
prostate, mammary gland, and timing of puberty in females.
In other less-than-reassuring news: 2008 brought more questions
about China-made products, this time, from items using milk
contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. The FDA did
find some melamine in a few select chocolates and coffees sold
here. But the bulk of the concern was in China itself, where
melamine-contaminated infant formula killed some infants and made
tens of thousands of babies and young kids sick with urinary and
kidney problems. Luckily, the U.S. supply of formula wasn't
affected.
What to Watch:
Although we're making major headway in preventing unsafe
kids' items here at home, global oversight of products, in
general, still leaves a lot to be desired. The U.S. government will
need to garner more worldwide cooperation in demanding much higher
standards for the $2 trillion worth of merchandise that comes from
beyond our borders. But, much like the recalls of 2007 put the toy
industry under the microscope and forced companies to be more
careful and step up testing, the world is watching China. The
exporting powerhouse country will have to do what it claims
it's trying to do - inspecting manufacturers and enforcing
major changes in how it makes and regulates products.
Also worth keeping an eye on: A final verdict from the FDA on
the chemical BPA. After a federal panel faulted the agency for
neglecting to take action, the FDA is taking a closer look at all
of the research to decide whether to make an official change. Also,
more companies may say "no" to making or selling
BPA-containing merchandise and more states may pass or consider
laws to ban or limit BPA in toys and kids' products.
For Parents:
News - Behind All the Buzz on the Chemical BPA
Choosing Safe Toys
News - Landmark Bill Signed, Helping Ensure Safety of Toys and
Kids' Products
News - Putting Lead in Perspective This Holiday Season
News - Making Sense of the Latest News on the Chemical BPA
News - The Scoop on Baby Products and Possible Toxins
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Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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