House bans lead, other chemicals from items kids put in their mouths

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alarmed by a year of recalls targeting millions of tainted toys, the House voted overwhelming Wednesday to ban lead and other dangerous chemicals from items such as jewelry and rubber ducks that could end up in kids’ mouths.

The legislation also would toughen rules for testing children’s products and take steps to give more muscle to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which was criticized last year for its feeble handling of a flood of goods from China deemed hazardous to children.

The legislation was lauded by lawmakers and consumer groups as one of the most far-reaching product safety bills in decades.

With the bill, said Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, “our children’s toys will be tested in the laboratory before they are tested by our children on the living room floors of America.”

The bill, a product of House-Senate negotiations, would impose the toughest lead standards in the world, banning lead beyond minute levels in products for children 12 or younger.

It would also ban children’s products — either permanently or pending further study — containing six types of phthalates, which are chemicals that are found in plastics and suspected of posing health risks.

The 424-1 vote sends the measure to the Senate, which could approve it before Congress leaves for its August recess at the end of this week.