Cornell Supports U.S. Child Safe Products Act

  Rockland County Legislator Harriet Cornell introduced a resolution at the Tuesday meeting of the Legislature to request the NYS Legislature pass two bills that if enacted, would amend the State’s environmental conservation law to eliminate toxic chemicals in children’s products. The resolution, which was passed unanimously by the legislature, supports the passage of State Assembly bill A6328 and State Senate bill S4614.

The state bills would create the “Child Safe Products Act” that would require manufacturers to identify toxic chemicals contained in products intended for use by children aged twelve and under.  The act would adopt an established list of 1700 known “chemicals of high concern” that are known to cause cancer, learning and developmental disabilities, asthmas, obesity and infertility and a priority list of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic would be established. The state’s departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Health would be empowered to add or remove chemicals from either list.   A year after a chemical is named a priority, manufacturers must disclose its use in children’s products and a year after that, beginning in 2018, must phase them out.  The DEC will be authorized to work with a chemical data collection agency to streamline the process for manufacturers selling products in NYS.  The definition of products includes, but is not limited to, toys, car seats, baby products designed for teething and feeding, bedding, furniture and apparel.

“Children can suffer irreversible impairments or illness from the slightest trace of a toxic substance contained in a product that is designed for their use,” said Legislator Cornell.  “We need to safeguard their health through disclosure and the eventual elimination of known or suspected toxins from children’s’ products.  Unsuspecting parents and grandparents would never knowingly introduce toxins into their child’s clothing or toys or other products used by children. These bills are a step towards safeguarding children’s health.”