U.S. PIRG Consumer Blog: NYT: Lead isn't the only chemical in kids' products

In her story Everyday Items, Complex Chemistry in today's New York Times, reporter Amy Schoenfeld points out that some U.S. firms, including Dell, are emulating Europe's and California's precautionary principle approach to chemical hazards in their products, no matter where they are sold. A flack for the American Chemistry Council, formerly the Chemical Manufacturers of America (but that name sounded bad, even though it was accurate), predictably whines in the story, but scientists she interviews have a more reasoned approach:

"We have enormous gaps in our understanding of how these chemicals affect health and the environment." said Michael P. Wilson, a public health scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. "And where we do have information, we see cause for concern."

She goes on to speak with Joel Tickner:

[...]director of the chemicals program at the Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. "For some chemicals we may never be certain that they cause harm."

In our November Trouble In Toyland report, we identified not only toys that pose the threat of lead exposure, but also toys and children's products that threaten exposure to chronic chemical hazards including xylene, toulene and phthalates, which are a class of chemicals that cause long-term developmental and other disorders. Recently, Environment California (the new home of CALPIRG's environmental work) helped pass a law banning toxic phthalates in children's products. Smart firms will comply worldwide with the strongest health and safety laws. Here is more from the PIRG-backed Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue or TACD.