Cal/OSHA Advisory Panel To Tackle Phthalate Exposure

Workplace exposure to phthalates will be a main subject during a meeting next month of a health advisory panel to Cal/OSHA, which has been at the forefront of efforts to draft permissible exposure limits (PEL) for the group of compounds thought to cause developmental and reproductive toxicity -- an area that's also been a subject of national discussion. Phthalates, mainly used to increase the flexibility and longevity of plastics, have been restricted in the U.S. and some other countries in products used by children, and safety advocates are promoting further controls. The Cal/OSHA Health Expe