The Government of Canada has published, on the 20th of June 2009, two proposals that will restrict the content of phthalates in toy and childcare articles and the content of lead in certain consumer products.

For phthalates, the proposal sets a limitation to the content of 3 phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP) within soft plastic parts of toys and childcare articles. Moreover the number of limited phthalates increase to 6 (adding DINP, DIDP, DNOP) for those parts that can be placed in the mouth of children under four years of age.

This proposal has the scope of making the Canadian legislation more similar to the legislation in force in Europe and the USA. Lead content will be restricted in products that are brought into contact with the mouth, including those products that would be brought into the mouth by children under 3 years of age.

The limitation concerns the following kind of products:

• toys for children under three years of age;
• baby bottle nipples and soothers;
• baby bibs;
• beverage straw, spouts, other drinking aids.