Toy safety bill passes through connecticut senate

A key bill could, if passed, see asbestos and lead removed from children’s toys as early as next year. The bill has been passed by a state senate and now goes to Governor M. Jodi Rell for her signature. If passed fully the bill will limit the amount of lead that can be present in toys manufactured or sold after July 1, 2009. On July 1, 2009 it would also become illegal to manufacture or sell any children’s toys that contain asbestos. In addition, new standards for paint sprayed on children’s toys would be in effect. Sarah Uhl, coordinator of the Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut, said of the bill, “Now that the science has been allowed to emerge, policy makers have a responsibility to take immediate action to phase out bisphenol A and phthalates from common, everyday products like food and beverage containers.” This issue is one of the most heavily lobbied of the year: several different toy bills were considered during the session. The presence of asbestos, lead paint, and other toxins in children’s toys and other products marketed for use by children or parents has been high on the public radar recently. Last year, California-based asbestos awareness group The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) ADAO announced they had sponsored tests on toys and household goods. Several of the items tested, including a toy crime-scene kit based on the CBS television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, were found to contain asbestos. In April of this year, the ADAO filed a lawsuit against CBS Corp and several toy retailers. According to the lawsuit the lab tests showed the fingerprint dusting powder in the toy kits contained “substantial quantities of tremolite asbestos…one of the most lethal forms of asbestos.” Planet Toys Inc, the toy manufacturer, removed the toy crime-scene kits from the market after the ADAO made their asbestos claims public. However, Planet Toys Inc said it had conducted multiple tests on the toys but had not discovered any asbestos. The toy company said that some of the kits had been manufactured in China. Planet Toys Inc issued a “stop sale” on all CSI fingerprint kits “until further information can be ascertained as to the discrepancy between…respective test findings.” The ADAO claims the defendants failed to warm consumers that the kits were contaminated with asbestos. Such warnings are required by state law. The ADAO wants a court order to stop the kits being sold unless they carry a warning. Passage of the Connecticut bill would see toys such as this made illegal to manufacture or sell, regardless of the outcome of the ADAO lawsuit, if any asbestos is found in the products. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)