Toxic toys legislation

If you didn't see Vic Harville's most recent cartoon down below in today's links, click the link -- he raises an issue now being considered by some legislatures around the country. Recent reports show that a high number of toys are contaminated with lead, mercury, and cadmium at levels that are dangerously high. The United States remains one of the few countries in the world that still allow the import of plastic toys made with phthalates, a key toxin used frequently in children's toys.

Maine and Washington are considering legislation that would require manufacturers to disclose the toxins that are in their toys and give agencies the authority to require manufacturers to use a safer alternative. California recently passed AB 1108, which banned most phthalates. We're still 13 months from convening for the next regular legislative session, and this is a problem that will likely be highly regulated by that time. Once other large states follow California's lead, manufacturers are likely to take notice and remove these toxins from their products.