What are phthalates and why have they been banned in California?
Phthalates are a class of additives used in some vinyl products to make them soft and flexible. Vinyl with a phthalate plasticizer can be found in many products including cars, clothing, shoes and handbags, lifesaving medical equipment, toys, and many other products. While there are many phthalates, one is primarily used in toys. DINP is the phthalate specifically added to some vinyl toys to make them safer, to eliminate breakage and the potential for sharp edges or small parts. It has been safely used for nearly 50 years and has been extensively studied and found to be safe for use in children’s products. Despite this scientific evidence, specific to toys and to DINP, the State of California will ban the use of DINP and five other phthalates in certain toys and childcare products sold in the State beginning in 2009. When the question of phthalate safety was raised several years ago, the toy industry turned to scientific experts to assess its safety, since toy safety is the industry’s
