Did any of you play with plastic toys as a kid?  Unless you grew up on the moon, it is likely that you did.  This means one thing – you have more plastic chemicals in your body than a Hollywood trophy wife.  But luckily, our kids don’t have to suffer the same fate.  Recently, a federal judge upheld a ban on phthalates in children’s toys and childcare products.  More importantly, they were ordered off the shelves.  And this is a tremendous win for kids and the environment.

So what are phthalates, and why are they not-so-healthy?  Phthalates are the chemicals used to soften plastics.  And their laundry list of bad is long.  They mess with testosterone, reduce sperm, cause malformations in genitalia, and more.  A billion pounds of the stuff are produced each year.  You know that new car smell inside your Prius?  Well, get ready to hold your breath.  It is “partly the pungent odor of phthalates volatilizing from a hot plastic dashboard.”  (And in case you were wondering – yes, nothing is sacred anymore.)
  
Luckily, lawmakers took action.  The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed and signed into law by President Bush on August 14, 2008.  This means that as of February 10, 2009, the sale of all child-oriented products containing phthalates and lead will be illegal in the United States.  This brings the U.S. up to speed with Europe, Mexico, Argentina, Israel and Japan, who have all since banned the same chemicals.   

So why wasn’t this the end of the story?  Recently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission tried to pass a loophole that would have let stores continue to sell toxic products – as long as they were made before the ban date.  (Shouldn’t the Consumer Product Safety Commission care about making products safe for people?  Just saying…) But the National Resources Defense Council and Public Citizen filed countersuit.  Then on February 5, 2009, a federal judge ruled against phthalates.  As attorney Aaron Colangelo of the NRDC states, “Today’s victory gives parents the certainty Congress tried to provide in the first place – that their children are safe from harmful chemicals in their toys.  This is a big win for children’s health and consumer safety.” 

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Great Safe Toy Resources: Toxic toys (well, at least phthalate-ridden ones) will now disappear once and for all from store shelves.  But how can you be sure?  There are several top resources that can help.  Here is a list on non-toxic bath toys. And here are some tips on how to keep your teething baby away from plastics. Thanks to the NRDC and public vigilance, plastics will no longer destroy the future of humanity!

>> Check out Greenopia's Greenopia's Toy Guide for the greenest, healthiest kids' toys.