In an exciting victory for children in the United States, President Bush signed into law national product-safety legislation that will ban certain chemicals from being used when producing toys. The new law ensures that toys and child-care products are free of brain-damaging materials like lead, and several types of phthalates, a chemical used to soften plastic that has been linked to hormonal problems in children.

Last month, this legislation passed in Congress. I am impressed that Congress was able to do the right thing and protect our children, even in the face of some very heavy lobbying against these new safety regulations by ExxonMobil who manufactures phthalates.

If you are a parent concerned about toxics in your children’s toys – there is a website you can check out for product safety guides --  www.HealthyToys.org

--Michelle