Going after carcinogens

Pursuant to the Safer Consumer Products regulations passed into law last year, state regulators are targeting three widely used products containing known carcinogens.

According to a Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) press release, the three products of concern are foam sleeping pads for children containing chlorinated Tris (TDCPP), a flame retardant and probable carcinogen; spray polyurethane foam systems containing unreacted diisocyanates, which can cause asthma and cancer and can cause respiratory and skin irritation; and paint stripper containing methylene chloride, a known carcinogen and neurotoxin.

Once the DTSC finalizes a rule-making process—which could take up to a year—manufacturers selling the products in California will be required to analyze whether safer ingredients are available and the feasibility of substituting them for the carcinogenic substances.