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But apparently they are everywhere, as in Kydex Holsters,and, who knows? maybe polymer receiver pistols etc. Now I have always been one of the few who cheerfully predicted the revolution would not start because of some Sweeping Cosmic Principle Of Sovereign Liberty and Freedom, but because of something completely inane and unexpected, like, well, seatbelt laws. Phthalates may be just the ticket. They are apparently EVERYWHERE. For Nanny State Kakistocrats phtalates are the mother load if the goal is maximum chaos for minimum effort. Just ban phthalates and the modern world will instantly collapse around your ears.

Cumulative effects of phthalates and related compounds will be larger than effects measured one chemical at a time, reports a National Research Council panel On December 18, a National Research Council panel told the Environmental Protection Agency that sufficient data exist to begin assessing the potential health risks posed by phthalates, among the most ubiquitous pollutants on the planet. At the same time, the NRC panel strongly recommended that the agency adopt a “paradigm shift” in the way it assesses the chemicals’ toxicity to humans. Instead of evaluating each phthalate compound individually, EPA should begin assessing risks from likely combos...

Nov. 25, 2008 -- A consumer watchdog group is urging parents to avoid buying soft plastic toys this holiday season because of a risk that the toys may contain toxic chemicals. Toys containing the chemicals, called phthalates, can no longer be manufactured or imported after February 2009, according to a product safety law that passed Congress over the summer. But the group says the Consumer Product Safety Commission is allowing the toy industry to circumvent the law. The agency wrote a letter last week telling manufacturers they can still sell their existing stocks of phthalate-containing toys even after the ban...

If you are a parent (or grandparent) of a young child, you are a target for manipulation by activists (some with scientific degrees) who claim we are surrounded by a sea of chemical "toxins" and "carcinogens." You are easy prey — because you care so deeply about the health and welfare of your babies and children. Purveyors of unfounded health scares know that. The fearmongers have just about everything going for them. And unless you recognize their manipulative tactics, you will be among their millions of terrified victims. Here's how they work: They know what psychiatrists have known for many...

SACRAMENTO — Acting on the last batch of bills from what experts called a disappointing regular legislative year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday signed into law a controversial increase in motorists' fees that is intended to raise millions to develop alternative fuel and clean-air technology. Consumer advocates condemned the bill for putting the costs on the backs of motorists rather than oil companies. Schwarzenegger also signed what became known as the "toxic toys" bill, which makes California the first state to prohibit the use of chemical compounds called phthalates in products designed for children under 3 years old. Making his...

“Gender-bending” chemicals mimicking the female hormone oestrogen can disrupt the development of baby boys, suggests the first evidence linking certain chemicals in everyday plastics to effects in humans. The chemicals implicated are phthalates, which make plastics more pliable in many cosmetics, toys, baby-feeding bottles and paints and can leak into water and food. All previous studies suggesting these chemicals blunt the influence of the male hormone testosterone on healthy development of males have been in animals. “This research highlights the need for tougher controls of gender-bending chemicals,” says Gwynne Lyons, toxics adviser to the WWF, UK. Otherwise, “wildlife and baby...

Widely used industrial compounds, called phthalates, are linked by researchers to changes in the reproductive organs of male infants. Scientists studying the effects of hormone-mimicking chemicals on humans have reported that compounds called phthalates, used in plastics and beauty products and widely found in people, seem to alter the reproductive organs of baby boys. In the first study of humans exposed in the womb to phthalates, the researchers, who examined the genitalia of male babies and toddlers, found a strong relationship between the chemicals and subtle changes in the size and anatomy of the children's genitals. Phthalates are ubiquitous compounds...

A new health alert over chemicals used in make-up, shampoo and soaps is issued today. Experts say products containing the chemicals - called phthalates - could cause women to give birth to boys with female characteristics. Their research found shrunken genitals and less masculine behaviour in babies. Phthalates help to give cosmetics colour and bond perfume molecules. They are also used in pliable plastics such as clingfilm, kidney dialysis tubes, blood bags and even children's toys. "This is a very big problem," said study leader Professor Shanna Swan, of the University of Rochester. The research, to be published-next month in...