Subject:  EU bans sale of harmful chemicals to children (Guru)..
Date:     Wed, 1 Dec 1999 152101 -0600 (CST)
From:     "Roy L. Beavers" 
To:       emfguru 
--------------------------------------------------


......So ... why don't they ban the sale of cell phones to children???

Roy Beavers (EMFguru)
roy@emfguru.com

.....It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.....
                       NEW!!!  Website 
...................People are more important than profits.................

             DOYOU KNOW OF OTHERS WHO SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST???
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01:45 PM ET 12/01/99

EU Bans Hazardous Chemicals in Toys


           BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) _ The European Union Wednesday approved a
 ban on a softening chemical contained in certain toys, for fear it
 may affect the health of babies.
           The chemical substances, called phthalates, are used to soften
 toys like baby rattlers and teething toys, which are sucked and
 chewed on by children. The EU's executive Commission maintains that
 the chemicals pose a serious health risk, and may lead to liver,
 kidney and testicular damage.
           The ban, approved unanimously by the EU's Scientific Committee
 for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and Environment, is expected to come into
 force before Christmas.
           Eight EU countries _ Austria, Sweden, France, Greece, Denmark,
 Finland, Italy and Germany _ have already banned the sale of
 plastic toys containing phthalates.
           The Toy Industries of Europe maintains the products pose no
 health risk to children. The industry group called on the committee
 last week to reject a Commission draft proposal because ``it would
 not improve safety for our children.''
           Hoping to avoid an outright ban on the products, the group
 volunteered to stop selling pacifiers and teething rings that
 contain phthalates in order to ``give time to further scientific
 consideration.''
           The environmental group Greenpeace on Wednesday welcomed the
 European Union's decision, but warned that retailers are not
 obliged to remove banned products from shelves.

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Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.emfguru.com