SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, the Senate Environmental Quality Committee passed landmark legislation, authored by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), which would make California the first state in the country to ban dangerous chemicals used in baby toys.  The legislation, AB 1108, passed the committee by a vote of 5-2.

AB 1108, which is sponsored by Environment California, will prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of toys and child care products intended for use by children under the age of three that contain certain phthalates.  Phthalates interfere with the hormone system and have been linked to reproductive defects, premature birth, and early onset of puberty. Phthalates are listed on California’s Prop 65 list as reproductive toxins. 14 countries and the European Union have already banned or are phasing out the chemical. 

“We are simply one more vote away from protecting California’s kids,” said Assemblywoman Ma. “The science is in, the precedent has been set and it is time for California to take action.”

Earlier this year, a powerful declaration was made by the world’s leading environmental scientists who warned that exposure to common chemicals including phthalates makes babies more likely to develop an array of reproductive health problems later in life.  On May 24, at the International Conference on Fetal Programming and Development Toxicity, 200 scientists also urged leaders not to wait any longer to take action.  

 “California is one step closer to protecting kids from dangerous chemicals,” said Dan Jacobson, Legislative Director for Environment California.