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(OPEN):
THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION REAUTHORIZATION
BILL IS CURRENTLY IN CONFERENCE. LEGISLATORS ARE DEBATING WHETHER
TO INCLUDE AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD BAN
CHEMICALS CALLED "PHTHALATES" FROM USE IN CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.
DOCTOR ELMER RAUCKMAN--A TOXICOLOGIST AND FORMER SCIENTIST AT
THE NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM--EXPLAINS WHY THIS
LEGISLATION IS MISGUIDED, AND COULD PUT OUR CHILDREN AT GREATER RISK...
(RAUCKMAN):
"'PHTHALATES' HAVE BEEN USED SAFELY FOR OVER 50
YEARS, IN A BROAD RANGE OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS--INCLUDING RUBBER-DUCKIES,
SHOES, AND GARDEN HOSES. THE 'PHTHALATE' MOST COMMONLY USED IN
CHILDREN'S TOYS IS 'DIISONONYL PHTHALATE'--OR 'D-I-N-P'. THIS
PARTICULAR SUBSTANCE HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY STUDIED AND PROVEN SAFE FOR USE
IN TOYS, BY MULTIPLE GOVERNMENTS AND INDEPENDENT EVALUATORS--INCLUDING
THE 'CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION', THE 'CENTERS FOR DISEASE
CONTROL', THE 'NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM', AND THE 'EUROPEAN CHEMICALS
BUREAU'."
(BRIDGE):
DOCTOR RAUCKMAN WARNS THAT BANNING "D-I-N-P" WOULD YIELD UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES...
(RAUCKMAN):
"BANNING A CHEMICAL THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN SAFE OPENS
UP OUR CHILDREN TO POTENTIAL HARM, BY FORCING THE USE OF LESS-TESTED AND
UNKNOWN ALTERNATIVES. NONE OF THE PROBABLE ALTERNATIVES TO
'D-I-N-P' HAVE BEEN REVIEWED FOR SAFE USE IN TOYS BY ANY U-S GOVERNMENT
AGENCY. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE LEGISLATORS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN
BY RESISTING REGULATIONS THAT ARE BASED SOLELY ON POLITICS AND RUN
COUNTER TO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE."
(CLOSE):
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT "PHTHALATES" AND THIS LEGISLATION, VISIT
W-W-W-DOT-"CHILD-SAFETY-TASK-FORCE"-DOT-COM.
