On 20 October 2017, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a final rule prohibiting certain phthalates from use in children’s toys and child care articles, two years after the proposed rule submitted. The final rule will be effective on 25 April 2018, 180 days after publication in the Federal Register. 

Based on recommendations from a Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP), children’s toys and child care articles containing more than 0.1 percent of five specific phthalate chemicals are to be permanently prohibited due to their harmful impact on male reproductive development. Together with the three phthalates currently restricted under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), eight types of phthalates in total are banned from use in children’s toys and child care articles at concentration of more than 0.1 percent. Here below is a summary of modifications to the current phthalate rule: 

• DPENP, DHEXP, DCHP and DIBP are newly added as permanently prohibited phthalates in all children’s toys and child care articles at concentration more than 0.1 percent. 
• The interim prohibition of DINP becomes permanent and the restriction is extended to cover all children’s toys and child care articles. 
• DEHP, DBP and BBP remain permanently prohibited in all children’s toys and child care articles. 
• The interim prohibitions of DNOP and DIDP are removed as there are no adverse effects on male reproductive development.

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