Minnesota to ban nasty chemicals from children's products

Way to go, Minnesota: the state legislature is on its way to becoming the first state in the nation to ban the nasty—and ubiquitous—chemicals bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates from children's products.

What's so scary about these chemicals? Industry and some scientists deny they're a serious threat. Problem is, the studies they point to have looked only for high-level exposures, and when they haven't found them presumed products are safe. But research suggests that chronic low-level exposure is the bigger danger—indeed, there may be no safe threshold for these chemicals—and BPA and phthalates are in everything. That new car smell? New carpet smell? Phthalates volatilizing in the air. BPA is in plastic water bottles and in the plastic lining of food cans.

What do these chemicals do to human bodies? Steel yourself for a major ick factor: Never mind the usual cancer risk, though they do that too. Both chemicals are estrogen-mimicking, so they do gross things to reproductive development. Like cause boys to have under-developed genitalia and girls to develop breasts prematurely. Yuck.

Campaigning for parents' votes

Now this is a smart campaign tactic: Darcy Burner, running for a suburban Washington State Congressional seat, has been sponsoring events to test toys for lead, phthalates, and other toxic ingredients. Burner starts from where mothers are at—worried about the safety of their children—and uses it to get them engaged in politics. At Christmas time, no less. Very savvy. Still, Burner faces an uphill battle against Republican incumbent Dave Reichert, who beat her last election cycle.