SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Today, in front of the Children’s Council of San Francisco, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) called for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to take immediate steps to implement a ban of lead in all products intended to be used by children.  Ma, who is also the author of landmark toxic toys legislation, AB 1108, vowed to take a strong arm approach if the Bush Administration fails to act within 90 days.  In a letter to the CPSC, Ma writes that she will introduce a California ban of toys and other products containing lead intended to be used by children if action is not taken to update regulations to remove all lead from these products.  The letter highlights the need for immediate action and points out that the commission could encounter gridlock because the President has failed to appoint commission members.  A little over a year and half ago the commission chair resigned and a new chair has yet to be appointed.   

“Children who are exposed to lead at any level are in harms way,” said Assemblywoman Ma.  “We can not let this become another issue where the Bush administration is asleep at the wheel.”

Ma was joined at the press conference by Caroline Cox, a research director at the Center for Environmental Health, who talked about the harmful effects that lead can have on humans.  The Center for Environmental Health is an Oakland based nonprofit has initiated an anti-lead campaign.

In addition to the lead ban, Assemblywoman Ma is working to ban phthalates, a known carcinogen that is already banned in the European Union and 14 other countries.  This bill is one vote away from reaching the Governor’s desk and is eligible to be heard as early as next week.  The bill is modeled after an ordinance that Ma authored while at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. 

“Toxic toys need to be removed from our store shelves immediately,” said Assemblywoman Ma.  “It is time for policy makers to step up to the plate.”