California Bans Phthalates in Children’s Products
October 2007 (07B-159)
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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed Assembly Bill AB 1108 restricting the use of certain phthalates and banning the use of others in infant and childcare products. Phthalates, or phthalate esters, are a group of chemical compounds that are mainly used as plasticizers, substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility. They are used to turn polyvinyl chloride from a hard plastic into a flexible plastic. The requirements will become effective as of January 1, 2009.
As Europe has banned phthalates in one form or another since 1999, many toy companies already have switched to alternatives to avoid having different product lines for various markets. However, those companies that have not already done so will need to identify if the phthalates listed below are present in their products and find appropriate substitutions to sell their products in California as of January 1, 2009 |
Summary of Phthalates Restrictions in California's Bill AB 1108
DEHP, DBP and BBP
 Commencing January 1, 2009, no person or entity shall manufacture, sell,
or distribute in commerce any toy or child care article that contains
di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or benzyl butyl
phthalate (BBP), in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent.
DINP, DIDP and DNOP
Commencing January 1, 2009, no person or entity shall manufacture, sell,
or distribute in commerce any toy or child care article intended for use by
a child under three years of age if that product can be placed in the child’s
mouth and contains diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP),
or di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent.
Additional Requirements
The law also requires manufacturers/retailers adhere to the following requirements:
It requires that manufacturers use the least toxic alternative when
replacing phthalates in accordance with this chapter.
It prohibits manufacturers from replacing phthalates with carcinogens.
It prohibits manufacturers from replacing phthalates with other reproductive toxicants.
The bill can be viewed at:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1108&sess=CUR&house=A&search_type=bill_update
How Bureau Veritas Help Companies Distributing Products in California
Bureau Veritas is a leader in consumer products testing services, with experienced technical professionals. We can assist companies by testing products for presence and percentage of phthalates. We offer comprehensive services, including analytical testing and toxicological risk assessments.
Contact Information
Please contact your local customer service representative or the Bureau Veritas office in:
Americas: info@us.bureauveritas.com
Europe: BVsales@uk.bureauveritas.com
Asia: marketingmail@hk.bureauveritas.com
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