A group of parents, doctors, and public health advocates has petitioned the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to consider requiring manufacturers to report use of certain chemicals used in plastics.
The group delivered 2,071 petitions Wednesday in Augusta.
The chemicals, called phthalates, are often called “plasticizers” and are used to make plastics more flexible and durable. They are used in products like vinyl flooring, plastic clothes and personal care products.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says some types of phthalates have affected reproductive systems of lab animals and more research is needed to assess effects on human health.
The group said in a statement that current rules “fail to protect pregnant women.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.