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Klobuchar Demands Better Oversight of Plastic Additives in Toys and Other Products

Calls on CPSC and FDA to give parents confidence that baby bottles, water bottles are safe.

May 14, 2008

Washington, D.C. – Citing concerns about plastic additives in water bottles, children’s toys and a variety of other consumer products, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today called on the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration to accelerate their research into the potential health hazards of two compounds, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, and to do a better job of protecting consumers from their potential health threats.

Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, spoke at a subcommittee hearing called to examine the potential risks of the additives and to examine whether the two agencies have taken sufficient action to study the products and protect consumers.

“What message are we sending to consumers when they read about BPA and phthalate studies, but see the government has done nothing?’’ Klobuchar asked. “Federal regulators need to step in and give consumers the confidence they deserve.’’

In recent months, BPA and phthalates have been detected in a wide variety of consumer products, including baby bottles, rubber-ducky bathtub toys, and Nalgene water bottles. A recent study by the National Toxicology Program tested thousands of people and found that 93 percent had detectible levels of BPA in their system. The study found that, while the research is not conclusive, there is potential for BPA to cause a multitude of health ailments, including reproductive problems and early onset of puberty in children exposed to the chemical.

California already has banned phthalates in children’s products, and several private companies, including the Kaiser Permanente health plan, have stopped using plastic products that contain phthalates.

“What this really boils down to is making sure that we’ve done the research to make sure the products on our shelves are safe,’’ Klobuchar said. “In 2007 there were 29 million toys recalled for various reasons, most of them because of lead content. Parents were shocked to find out that toys they thought were safe, regulated and tested had in fact fallen through the cracks. We cannot let more products fall through the cracks.’’

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