Canada proposes laws to ban phthalate use in all soft vinyl toys and impose stringent limits on lead

Health Canada announced two sets of Regulations on Friday. The first bans the use of six phthalates - DEHP, DINP, DBP, BBP, DNOP and DIDP - in all soft vinyl toys and childcare articles. These chemicals have been banned for use in pacifiers, teething rings and other items intended to be mouthed by children since 1998 and the proposed Regulations will extend this ban.

Also to protect childrens health, the Government simultaneously proposed the Consumer Products Containing Lead (Contact with Mouth) Regulations.These cut the permitted lead content of all products for children under the age of three and any other products intended or likely to be brought into contact with the mouth. The maximum lead content is lowered from the current 600mg/kg to 90 mg/kg - one of the lowest limits to be set worldwide.

In response, NGO Environmental Defence Canada (EDC) welcomed both Regulations as "great news for parents", saying the phthalate proposal would bring Canada into line with the EU where the six phthalates were banned in 1999.

But the American Chemistry Council (ACC) said: “There is no scientific basis to believe that Health Canada’s decision to restrict certain phthalates in children’s products will improve public health or meet the stated objective of protecting the health and safety of Canadian children." Phthalates have a long history of safe use, the ACC contends, and are known to breakdown and be metabolised quickly.

• Health Canada statement
• EDC statement
• ACC statement