AUGUSTA (AP) — The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is set to hold a public hearing about the use of chemicals called phthalates in household products in response to petitions from parents.
Parents called on the agency to hold the hearing about a request to require manufacturers to report use of the chemicals, which are often called “plasticizers” and are used to make plastics more flexible and durable. The hearing is slated for Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at a DEP office in Augusta.
The group says it delivered petitions with more than 2,000 names calling for the rule change.
The chemicals are used in products like vinyl flooring and personal care products. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says some types of phthalates have affected reproductive systems in lab animals.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
