PVC Softeners Removed from Baby Products
Federal Commission Removes Phthalates in Teethers
In 1998, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reached a voluntary agreement with manufacturers to remove two phthalates from rattles, teethers, pacifiers and baby bottle nipples. This News Release describes why the agency “as a precaution” asked companies to remove these chemicals, which are used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products to make them softer.
[download]
Article on Pthalates in Children’s Products
This 1999 article in the Consumer Product Safety Review summarizes CPSC’s actions on phthalates in some children’s products and includes a list of manufacturers and retailers that agreed to remove the chemicals from products intended for or likely to be mouthed by children under 3 years old, such as teethers.
[download]
Groups Request Ban on PVC in Children’s Products
In November 1998, Greenpeace and other organizations filed a petition with the CPSC requesting a ban on PVC in products intended for children 5 years and under. Later that year, the Commission reached the agreement with manufacturers to remove phthalates in some products.
[download]
Commission Denies PVC Ban Petition
The CPSC did not act on the broader PVC ban petition request until 2003 when it issued a denial.
[download]
