The Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP) of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a report on July 18, 2014 concerning the use of certain phthalates in children’s toys and child care articles. In its report, the CHAP recommended that five phthalates be permanently banned from use in the aforementioned applications at levels greater than 0.1%. Diisononyl phthalate (DINP), which is one of the five chemicals addressed in the report, has been under a temporary ban that the CHAP now recommends be made permanent. The report also recommends that the interim ban on DIDP be lifted. This is of interest to Teknor Apex and our customers as both DINP and DIDP are types of plasticizers which are commonly used as softening agents in flexible PVC compounds.
What Happens Next
The recommendations from the CHAP are the initial phase of the CPSC regulatory review process and it should be noted that these are recommendations only at this time. The CPSC has 180 days to follow the report with any new rules and during this time will conduct a review of the report; will consider other scientific data; and will seek public input and information that it will consider in the final decision.
Reaction to the CHAP Report
The US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sets forth guidelines regarding reports such as that issued by the CHAP, and the American Chemistry Council has issued a statement accusing the CSPC of not following procedure. Specifically, the ACC claims that the report was subject only to a closed-door peer review rather than the open, public comment period as set forth by the OMB. The ACC sees this as setting a dangerous precedent for the future and places the current CHAP recommendations under a cloud of concern; CPSC denies any wrongdoing.
What this Means for You, Our Customer
Not all of our customers are in the children’s toy and child care products arena, which are the specific targets of the CHAP report, but no matter what your business is, the regulatory environment is one that is ever changing and can be a challenge to keep up with. Talk to us about your needs for flexible and rigid PVC compounds that comply with the regulations of today and let us help you weigh your options for the needs of tomorrow. You can reach us via email at vinyl@teknorapex.com.