[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2276-2277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-645]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Teleconference and Public Meeting of the Chronic Hazard Advisory 
Panel on Phthalates and Phthalate Substitutes

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or 
``Commission'') is announcing a teleconference and the seventh meeting 
of the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP) on phthalates and phthalate 
substitutes. The Commission appointed this CHAP on April 14, 2010, to 
study the effects on children's health of all phthalates and phthalate 
alternatives, as used in children's toys and child care articles, 
pursuant to section 108 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act 
of 2008 (CPSIA) (Pub. L. 110-314). The CHAP will discuss its progress 
toward completing its analysis of potential risks from phthalates and 
phthalate substitutes.

DATES: The teleconference will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST 
(15:00 to 17:00 GMT) on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. Interested members 
of the public may listen to the CHAP's discussion. Members of the 
public will not have the opportunity to ask questions, comment, or 
otherwise participate in the teleconference. Interested parties should 
contact the CPSC project manager, Michael Babich, by email 
([email protected]) for call-in instructions no later than Monday, 
January 30, 2012. An additional public meeting will be held on 
Wednesday, February 15 through Friday, February 17, 2012. The meeting 
will begin at approximately 9 a.m. each day. It will end at 
approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and at approximately 2 
p.m. on Friday. There will not be any opportunity for public 
participation at this meeting.
    Registration and Webcast: No registration is required for the 
teleconference on February 1, 2012. Please follow the instructions 
above regarding the call-in instructions for the teleconference. 
Members of the public who wish to attend the February 15-17 public 
meeting in person may register on the day of the meeting. This meeting 
will also be available live via webcast at: http://www.cpsc.gov/Webcast. Registration is not necessary to view the webcast.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the fourth floor hearing room at 
the Commission's offices at 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Babich, Directorate for Health 
Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bethesda, MD 20814; 
telephone (301) 504-7253; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 108 of the CPSIA permanently 
prohibits the sale of any ``children's toy or child care article'' 
containing more than 0.1 percent of each of three specified phthalates: 
Di- (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and 
benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP). Section 108 of the CPSIA also prohibits, 
on an interim basis, the sale of any ``children's toy that can be 
placed in a child's mouth'' or ``child care article'' containing more 
than 0.1 percent of each of three additional phthalates: diisononyl 
phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and di-n-octyl phthalate 
(DnOP).
    Moreover, section 108 of the CPSIA requires the Commission to 
convene a CHAP ``to study the effects on children's health of all 
phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in children's toys and 
child care articles.'' The CPSIA requires the CHAP to complete an 
examination of the full range of phthalates that are used in products 
for children and:
     Examine all of the potential health effects (including 
endocrine-disrupting effects) of the full range of phthalates;
     Consider the potential health effects of each of these 
phthalates, both in isolation, and in combination with other 
phthalates;
     Examine the likely levels of children's, pregnant women's, 
and others' exposure to phthalates, based upon a reasonable estimation 
of normal and foreseeable use and abuse of such products;
     Consider the cumulative effect of total exposure to 
phthalates, both from children's products and from other sources, such 
as personal care products;
     Review all relevant data, including the most recent, best-
available, peer-reviewed, scientific studies of these phthalates and 
phthalate alternatives that employ objective data-collection practices 
or employ other objective methods;
     Consider the health effects of phthalates not only from 
ingestion, but

[[Page 2277]]

also as a result of dermal, hand-to-mouth, or other exposure;
     Consider the level at which there is a reasonable 
certainty of no harm to children, pregnant women, or other susceptible 
individuals and their offspring, considering the best available 
science, and using sufficient safety factors to account for 
uncertainties regarding exposure and susceptibility of children, 
pregnant women, and other potentially susceptible individuals; and
     Consider possible similar health effects of phthalate 
alternatives used in children's toys and child care articles.
    The CPSIA contemplates completion of the CHAP's examination within 
18 months of the panel's appointment on April 14, 2010. The CHAP has an 
additional 6 months to complete its final report to the Commission. The 
CHAP must review prior work on phthalates by the Commission, but it is 
not to be considered determinative because the CHAP's examination must 
be conducted de novo.
    The CHAP must make recommendations to the Commission regarding any 
phthalates (or combinations of phthalates), in addition to those 
identified in section 108 of the CPSIA, or phthalate alternatives that 
the panel determines should be prohibited from use in children's toys 
or child care articles, or otherwise restricted. The CHAP members were 
selected by the Commission from scientists nominated by the National 
Academy of Sciences. See 15 U.S.C. 2077, 2030(b).
    The CHAP met previously in April, July, and December 2010, and in 
March, July, and November 2011, at the CPSC's offices in Bethesda, MD, 
and by teleconference in November 2010, September 2011, and December 
2011. The CHAP heard testimony from interested parties at the July 
2010, and November 2011 meetings. The February 2012 teleconference and 
public meeting will include discussion of the CHAP's progress in 
preparing a final report. There will not be any opportunity for public 
comment during the February 2012 teleconference or the public meeting.

    Dated: January 11, 2012.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2012-645 Filed 1-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P