AB 319, the Safer Baby Products bill, would eliminate two
dangerous types of chemicals found in baby products.
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Two pieces of
legislation to protect the health of Californians from toxic chemicals
were introduced by California Asm. Wilma Chan (Oakland), chair of
the Assembly Health Committee. Both sponsored by Environment California,
AB 319 would eliminate two types of toxic chemicals in children’s
toys and baby bottles, and AB 289 would require chemical manufacturers
to provide the state with more information on the industrial chemicals
they use.
Removing
dangerous chemicals from children’s toys
AB 319, the Safer Baby Products bill, would eliminate two dangerous
types of chemicals found in baby products. The chemicals, phthalates
and bisphenol-A, are widely used in children’s feeding products
and toys and there are no laws or regulations prohibiting their
use in the U.S.
Toxics advocates
Yana Kucher and Teri Olle began researching the problem last year
while working on “Growing Up Toxic,” a report highlighting the effects
of toxic chemicals on the sensitive processes of fetal and infant
development. They began working to craft a policy solution with
Asm. Chan, who has a history of leadership on public health issues.
Both types of
chemicals are potent endocrine disruptors — chemicals that can interfere
with the proper functioning of hormones in our bodies, potentially
causing irreparable damage during the processes of fetal and infant
development. Phthalates, often used in soft PVC plastic children’s
toys, have been linked in lab studies to reproductive birth defects,
premature birth and asthma.
Even at very
low doses, Bisphenol-A, a common ingredient in hard plastic baby
bottles, has been linked to obesity, Down’s syndrome and reproductive
impairments such as reduced sperm production and endometriosis.
If enacted,
California would become the first state in the country to ban the
chemicals. The European Union and at least 12 countries have passed
bans or restrictions on the use of phthalates in products for small
children.
“Many parents
would be shocked to learn that the plastic baby bottle they’re giving
their child could damage their child’s health. When you look at
the science behind these chemicals, there is no question that they
ought to be banned from baby products,” said Chan.
“Our children’s
health is nothing to play with,” said Yana Kucher, environmental
health advocate for Environment California. “The emerging science
is clear. These chemicals leach out of plastic bottles and toys.
They have been linked with all manner of diseases and disturbing
trends, including obesity and early onset of puberty. Are we willing
to sacrifice the health of future generations for a softer rubber
ducky or harder plastic bottle? The answer must be no.”
Finding a
better way to detect toxic chemicals
While AB 319 deals with eliminating several specific chemical threats
to childhood development, the California Chemical Information Act,
Assembly Bill 289, gives state agencies critical information on
thousands of chemicals that are used in the state.
AB 289, co-sponsored
by California Communities Against Toxics, will require manufacturers
to provide the state with analytical methods for detecting their
chemicals as they make their way into the air, water, soil and the
human body.
According to
voluntary reporting, over 52 million pounds of chemicals are released
into the environment in California every year. However, state scientists
often lack the tools to detect which chemicals are ending up where.
The state has no means of detecting over 75 percent of the chemicals
that enter our environment.
“The issue of
PBDEs — the toxic flame retardants building up in many California
women’s bodies and breast milk — provided a prime example of what
can happen when we don’t have the tools we need to identify chemicals,”
said Asm. Chan, who authored the 2003 legislation to ban toxic flame
retardants. “By the time we learned of the problem, thousands of
women had already been exposed. This measure will require chemical
companies to provide us with the information we need to detect their
chemicals, before they can put their chemicals on the market. This
bill could save the state millions of dollars and the health of
thousands of residents.”
Because the
chemical industry is not required to supply the state with this
information, state labs must develdevelop and verify analytical
methods for chemicals falling under their jurisdiction. The cost
of developing analytical methods from scratch can run up to $1 million
for a single chemical, placing a significant financial burden onto
state agencies, and, by extension, onto California taxpayers. However,
this process should be much easier and less expensive for chemical
manufacturers, who designed the chemical and therefore should know
how to detect it.
“Looking for
chemicals in our air and water can be like looking for a needle
in a haystack,” said Kucher. “We know that certain chemicals are
being released into the air we breathe and the water we drink, but
without knowing how to find them, we don’t know how much of a danger
they pose to the environment or human health.”
Both bills are
due to be heard in Assembly committees this spring.
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