WASHINGTON ( ICIS news)--The US Congress agreed on Monday to an outright ban on some phthalates in children’s toys and child care items and an interim

WASHINGTON (AP) - House and Senate lawmakers reached agreement Monday on legislation to ensure that children's toys are not contaminated with lead and phthalates, require mandatory testing of children's products and increase funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The legislation was a response to a spate of incidents involving unsafe products from China and elsewhere and concerns that the commission lacked the staff and money to keep hazardous products off store shelves.
k Pryor, D-Ark., a main sponsor.

By Georgina Coolidge WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - A partial ban on controversial plastic-softening chemicals called phthalates has been agreed on as part of a bill to revamp consumer product safety, lawmakers involved in the negotiations said on Monday.
The legislation also would sharply cut the amount of lead allowed in toys and other products while increasing funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an agency much criticized after millions of toys, mostly made in China, were recalled last year.
orize an increase in the CPSC's annual budget from its current $80 million to $118 million starting in fiscal 2010 and growing to $136 million over five years. Continued...

by Jim Tankersley Congressional negotiators have reached a deal on what supporters are calling the most far-reaching set of product-safety reforms in

After a protracted House/Senate negotiating period, Democratic and Republican leaders came to an agreement on several controversial provisions in a bill to improve consumer product safety. Early reports indicate that negotiators came down on the side of public health on most or all of the issues that had proved difficult to hash out. CQ.com reports:
While the final provisions have not been released, advocates and lobbyists say there will be language to protect whistleblowers, make toy safety standards mandatory, regulate manufacturing of all-terrain vehicles and give state attorneys general certain decision-making powers….
ban would protect public health in the interim

House and Senate conferees said Monday they have reached a deal on pivotal product safety legislation that could reach the floor in both chambers this week.
Conferees on the measure said they have resolved the last outstanding issues that had mired negotiation, including a partial ban on certain plastic softeners.
g tactics GOP senators have been using against other legislation to dramatize their demand for floor votes on an array of energy-related proposals.