Toys with toxic chemical will stay on shelves past ban

A federal ban on the toxic chemical phthalates in children’s toys lost some of its punch last week when federal safety regulators announced the ban wouldn’t apply to products already in warehouses or stores.

The law made it illegal to sell toys containing phthalates after Feb. 10, 2009. But now consumers have no assurance that toys on store shelves will be safe.

Toys containing phthalates are not required to be labeled.

The decision is a relief for manufacturers, who complained that the cost of testing their products would harm their bottom line. Consumer advocates, on the other hand are outraged. They say the ban will be meaningless to shoppers, who will have no information on the safety of one toy versus another.

"This loophole could allow these toys to be sold not just for months, but for years into the future," said Denise and Alan Fields, who publish the popular Baby Bargains and Baby 411 series. "We understand the manufacturers' problem with having to test existing products in order to meet the February standard. Yes, it would be expensive for them, but this is much more frustrating for parents."

Meanwhile, the Fields encourage parents to err on the side of caution this holiday season and stay away from any toys made of plastic or rubber, which often contains phthalates.

To read more, check out these articles:

Toys with phthalates can be sold after U.S. ban takes effect, USA Today

Some toys with banned plastics will stay on market, Washington Post