This government is taking action on phthalates to protect those most vulnerable -- young Canadian children.

We are in the process of banning certain phthalates in products intended for young children, replacing the voluntary ban which is currently in place.

As it stands, no children's toiletry products in Canada list phthalates as ingredients.

Health Canada is nevertheless conducting a study to determine whether even trace amounts of phthalates can be found in a wide range of cosmetics, particularly fragrances used in soaps, shampoos and creams intended for infants.

While phthalates are not deliberately added to cosmetic products intended for babies and children, traces of phthalates may be found in the fragrance ingredients of these products.

The Government is currently conducting a national survey to study a range of environmental chemicals, including testing for phthalate levels, in blood and tissue samples taken from 5000 Canadians. A second survey is being conducted on 2000 pregnant women and their newborn infants.

Health Canada will continue to closely monitor the scientific evidence on phthalates.

If an ingredient poses an undue risk, its use in cosmetics can quickly be prohibited or restricted by adding it to the "Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist". Mandatory ingredient labelling further minimizes such risks, further enabling consumers to avoid those cosmetic ingredients to which they are sensitive.

Phthalates in Children's Toys

Health Canada continues to monitor the Canadian marketplace to evaluate the use of phthalates in children's toys, specifically teethers and rattles.

Industry's voluntary withdrawal of teethers and rattles containing di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) successfully resulted in the elimination of a major source of phthalate exposure to Canadian children. As a result, the potential exposure to phthalates from other children's products is very low.

Health Canada continues to advise parents and caregivers to monitor their children's use of other soft PVC toys not specifically designed for sucking and chewing, and to remove these products from the child's environment if they observe the child sucking or chewing on them for extended periods.