CPSC December 23 made available the names of the members of the chronic hazard advisory panel (CHAP) that will look at three temporarily banned phthalates as mandated by the CPSIA. The seven members (with links to their professional information) are:
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Paul J. Lioy, Ph.D. of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Philip E. Mirkes, Ph.D. of Washington State University Vancouver.
Bernard A. Schwetz, D.V.M , Ph.D., retired, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Rules for CHAPs are in Section 28 of the Consumer Product Safety Act. The committees consist of seven members, chosen from a list of nominees created by the National Academy of Sciences. They can be neither U.S. government employees nor have financial conflicts of interest related to the target products. Further, they must have demonstrated ability to assess chronic hazards. Once assembled, they vote two members to be chairman and vice chairman. Their decisions are by majority rule. They are paid at a federal employee GS-18 rate for each day they do work for the panel. They must request and disclose information only through the commission.
As for the CHAP's work, Section 108 of the CPSIA specifies that it will (verbatim):
(i) examine all of the potential health effects (including endocrine disrupting effects) of the full range of phthalates;
(ii) consider the potential health effects of each of these phthalates both in isolation and in combination with other phthalates;
(iii) examine the likely levels of children's, pregnant women's, and others' exposure to phthalates, based on a reasonable estimation of normal and foreseeable use and abuse of such products;
(iv) consider the cumulative effect of total exposure to phthalates, both from children's products and from other sources, such as personal care products;
(v) review all relevant data, including the most recent, best-available, peer-reviewed, scientific studies employ objective data collection practices or employ other objective methods;
(vi) consider the health effects of phthalates not only from ingestion but also as a result of dermal, hand-to-mouth, or other exposure;
(vii) 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
(viii) consider possible similar health effects of phthalate alternatives used in children's toys and child care articles.
The three temporarily banned phthalates are diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and di-n-octyl phthaltes (DnOP). Permanently banned are di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or benzyl butyl (BBP).
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