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Environment

San Francisco bans phthalates, bisphenol A

June 12, 2006 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 84, Issue 24

On June 6, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors unanimously approved legislation that would ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution within the metropolitan area of child care articles and toys containing bisphenol A and some phthalates for children under three years old. Under the ordinance, San Francisco manufacturers of baby bottles, pacifiers, and toys for young children must replace bisphenol A and the phthalates with the least toxic alternatives. The ban goes into effect on Dec. 1. San Francisco is the first city in the nation to institute such a ban. A similar measure was introduced in the California legislature this year but failed to pass. The banned phthalates include di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, diisodecyl phthalate, and di-n-octyl phthalate. These phthalates and bisphenol A are restricted, the ordinance says, because they are hormone-disrupting chemicals that may interfere with the development of young children. The European Union has placed similar bans on the phthalates. The American Plastics Council opposes the new law. "There certainly is no scientific basis to support that ordinance. Indeed, the board neither solicited any input nor accepted any scientific input from parties," says Steven Hentges, executive director of the plastics council's polycarbonate business unit.

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