Round Two for the Child Safe Products Act

Assemblymember Steve Englebright discusses the Child Safe Products Act at press conference.

Last year the Child Safe Products Act died in the Senate despite bipartisan support. It had 40 cosponsors but was not brought to a vote. We were disappointed, but we immediately got back to work with our coalition partners to get a similar bill passed on the local level. This tactic has been very successful – we’ve published reports and gotten a bill passed in Albany.

The momentum continued yesterday when legislators re-introduced a bill to eliminate chemicals from children’s toys. We joined our coalition partners in Albany to announce the new proposal. The bill would require manufacturers to phase out certain chemicals used in children’s products including benzene, lead, mercury, arsenic, and more. Many of these chemicals are known carcinogens and are found in everyday products.

The bill has the backing of Assembly Committee Chair on Environmental Conservation, Steve Englebright, who joined us at the press release.

“We’re going to have as many co-sponsors as possible,” said Senator Phil Boyle of Long Island who is already one of the sponsors of the bill.

Read more about the press conference and the bill on News 10, the Just-Green site, and follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #nontoxicny.