In what appears to be an unprecedented bow to the pressure of the
Crappy Plastic Toy industry, the City By The Bay is proposing to drop a
ban on the sale of toys and child care products containing phthalates, a group of chemical compounds used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible and commonly found in nail polish, caulk, and sex toys.
A 2004 study revealed that there
was a "very strong link" between phthalates and allergies in children,
and an even more disturbing small 2005 study suggested that there was a
correlation between phthalates and small penis size on boys, as
phthalates were thought to mimic estrogen. Whoa.
Keep in
mind, though, that these studies were small and that they have been
refuted by another 2004 study which suggested that phthalates had no
known effects upon adolescents exposed to them while as "neonates"
(newborns; under 4 weeks of age. I looked it up), and in 2006 the
European Union declared two specific phthalates as "safe".
So what does this mean? I'm not sure I'm willing to sacrifice my son's potentially John Holmesian
penis just so he can drink out of a sippy cup now. And San
Francisco? I thought you were kinda liberal over there.
What happened? You're appeasing the American
Chemistry Council over the children and parents of the city? I
might have to take back all the nice things I said about you earlier.
