§ 1511. Phthalates

(a) As used in this section:

(1) "Child care article" means any product designed or intended by the manufacturer to facilitate sleep, relaxation, or the feeding of children, or to help children with sucking or teething.

(2) "Phthalate" means any one of a group of chemicals used as plasticizers to provide flexibility and durability to plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

(3) "Toy" means any product designed or intended by the manufacturer to be used by children when they play.

(b) Beginning July 1, 2009, no person or entity shall manufacture, sell, or distribute in commerce any toy or child care article intended for use by a child under three years of age if that product contains di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent.

(c) Beginning July 1, 2009, no person or entity shall manufacture, sell, or distribute in commerce any toy or child care article intended for use by a child under three years of age if that product can be placed in the child's mouth and contains diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), or di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent.

(d) Manufacturers shall use the least toxic alternative when replacing phthalates in accordance with this section.

(e) Manufacturers shall not replace phthalates, pursuant to this section, with carcinogens rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as A, B, or C carcinogens or substances listed on the EPA's "List of Chemicals Evaluated for Carcinogenic Potential" as known or likely carcinogens, known to be human carcinogens, likely to be human carcinogens, or suggestive of being carcinogens.

(f) Manufacturers shall not replace phthalates, pursuant to this section, with reproductive toxicants that the EPA has identified as causing birth defects, reproductive harm, or developmental harm.

(g) A violation of this section shall be deemed a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 9 V.S.A. chapter 63. The Attorney General has the same authority to make rules, conduct civil investigations, enter into assurances of discontinuance, and bring civil actions, and private parties have the same rights and remedies as provided under 9 V.S.A. chapter 63, subchapter 1.

(h) Nothing in this section shall be construed to regulate firearms; ammunition or components thereof; pellets from air rifles; shooting ranges or circumstances resulting from shooting, handling, storing, casting, or reloading ammunition; or hunting or fishing equipment or components thereof. (Added 2007, No. 171 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2011, No. 136 (Adj. Sess.), § 1b, eff. May 18, 2012.)