This morning, National Public Radio aired complaints by a scientist at the Consumer Product Safety Commission that the agency's scientists opposed the phthalate ban passed with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), and they mangled the story. We wanted to take a moment to clear up a few points.

The headline, and the article overall, suggests that the CPSC conducted definitive studies showing that phthalates are not harmful and that no ban should have been enacted. Whether or not their CPSC source actually intended this to be the message is unclear; no direct quotes explicitly state that. In fact, the studies in question tested exposure to only one phthalate - DINP - that everyone seems to agree is far less harmful than the one that preceded it, DEHP. Not a word is mentioned of the other four phthalates covered by the CPSIA. Instead, the whole issue is rolled into that of DINP, which is one of the most precautionary of the banned substances, and one of three that is only banned pending further review, both in the European Union and the United States. For some reason, NPR editors decided to shoot the moon on this one and suggest that no phthalates should have been banned.

The article, a transcript of a story that ran on NPR's Morning Edition this morning, begins:

A new federal ban on chemical compounds used in rubber duckies and other toys isn't necessary, say the government scientists who studied the problem.

The ban, which took effect in February, prohibits making or selling duckies and other children's products that contain chemicals called phthalates, which are used to make plastic soft. Congress passed the ban in 2008 after concluding that the chemicals posed a risk to children who chew on their toys.

The action came despite advice not to enact the ban from scientists at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which regulates toys. [Link]

This is above and beyond the legitimate issues many have with the studies in question.

It's either very sloppy reporting (in which case the CPSC will be shortly clarifying their position), or a case of a reporter taking a zealous advocate's position at face value without the kind of analysis that makes a good story stick. We expect more from NPR and believe that plastics reform is a valid and worthwhile effort that should not be undermined by oversimplification and misstatements, whether or not they come from the mouths of government safety experts.

The ZRecs Guide to Safer Children's Products provides information solicited from and verified by manufacturers regarding the phthalate content of their children's products.