GRAND RAPIDS – In a move to help parents better protect Michigan's children from toys containing toxic chemicals, State Representatives Roy Schmidt (D-Grand Rapids) and Mike "Huck" Huckleberry (D-Greenville) today announced a plan that will require manufacturers of children's toys and products to report what chemicals they use in the production of toys sold in Michigan. Manufacturers that fail to comply with the reporting requirements will be forced to pay penalties and have their products pulled from the shelves.
"There is absolutely no reason that our children should be exposed to these harmful chemicals," Schmidt said. "Parents do all they can to provide their children with happy and healthy lives, it's unacceptable that they could unknowingly be giving their children toys containing harmful chemicals. This comprehensive plan will tackle this problem head on and protect a countless number of Michigan children."
The legislation, known as the Michigan Children's Safe Products Act, is a seven-bill package designed to give parents the tools they need to protect their children from harmful chemicals. The plan requires the Michigan Department of Community Health (DCH) to create a list of "chemicals of concern" – those known to cause cancer, reproductive or developmental harm, neurological damage or hormone disruption – by 2011.
From this initial list, DCH by 2012 will create and regularly update a list of "chemicals of highest concern" based on their use in children's products and their presence in children, household dust, human breast milk or cord blood. The DCH will make this information easily accessible to the public through a Web site or other means.
Under the plan, large manufacturers and distributors of children's products that contain "chemicals of highest concern" will have to publicly identify what products contain the chemicals, how much they contain and the reason why the chemical is in the product. They also must identify the number of toys distributed for sale in Michigan or nationally.
Chronic exposure to toxic chemicals in children's toys, such as arsenic, mercury and bromine have been linked to reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer. These chemicals have been found in popular toys such as Dora the Explorer lunch bags, Playskool's Mr. Potato Head, Mattel's Ballerina Barbie, Disney's High School Musical belts and necklaces, and Little Tikes bath letters and numbers.
"Michigan consumers deserve to have the confidence that when they buy a product, it won't harm them or their children," Huckleberry said. "The scary thing is that these chemicals have been found in some of the most popular toys around, and even toys that many of us played with as kids. These are chemicals that have no business being in our children's toys."
Manufacturers who fail to comply with the reporting requirements will face monetary penalties of up to $5,000 for the first offense, up to $25,000 for the second offense and up to $50,000 for the third or subsequent offense. Those who knowingly violate the act will face a fine of up to $150,000.
Manufacturers that don't comply with the rules could see their products pulled off the shelves by the Attorney General and the further sale of those products in Michigan would be prohibited. The plan also encourages DCH, along with the Department of Environmental Quality to participate in an interstate clearinghouse to share information and promote safer alternatives.
"We need to act now to protect our kids," Huckleberry said. "We simply can't afford to wait any longer."