Congress approves phthalate ban

Congressional negotiators have approved a ban on three phthalates from children's toys, according to this Washington Post report. The report notes that ExxonMobil Chemical Co. spent "a chunk of its $22 million lobbying budget in the past 18 months to try to prevent any ban." It also quotes Daryl Ditz, senior policy adviser at the Center for International Environmental Law, saying that the ban may signal a new willingness by Congress to place restrictions on toxic chemicals. "The great fear is that if a big, established chemical like this can be driven from the market, what's next?" he said.