News Coverage
Questions about some cosmetics
Activists want to restrict chemicals called phthalates. The FDA has no plans to review their safety.
Published May 2, 2004
Chemicals called phthalates are in everything from toys and vinyl flooring to food packaging and pharmaceutical products. They make plastics more flexible, nail polish more spreadable and creams and lotions smoother.
They've been used for years and have attracted little attention until recently. But a growing number of health and environmental activists are pushing to have cosmetics containing the chemicals banned or, at the very least, carry a label to warn consumers of their presence. The safety of phthalates in toys and plastic flood packaging is also coming under scrutiny.
To read the rest of this article, please go to the Los Angeles Times site.
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