EU to ban toxic chemicals in household plastics

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will ban six toxic chemicals within three to five years, three of which are commonly used in plastic household items, the EU Commission said on Thursday.

Among the compounds are three plastic softening phthalates, a musk fragrance, a flame retardant and a hardener for epoxy resin, the Commission said.

Although the most toxic phthalates have been banned in children's toys since 1999, a survey last October showed some are commonly found in products on supermarket shelves, including items regularly used by children, such as pencil cases and erasers.

"Chemicals are everywhere in the modern world and some of them can be very dangerous," EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik said. "Today's decision is an important step toward better protecting our health and the environment."

Unless they obtain specific exemptions, companies will not be able to sell items containing phthalates known as DEHP, BBP and DBP, the fragrance Musk Xylene, flame-retardant HBCDD, or the epoxy resin-hardener MDA.

Any company wishing to use the chemicals will need to demonstrate they are controlling safety issues, or that the benefits for the economy and society outweigh the risks.

The decision is a victory for campaigners who raised their concerns about hundreds of compounds in the report released last October.

"We are pleased this has finally happened, but the pace is far too slow," said Christian Schaible of the European Environmental Bureau, which published the October report.

(Reporting by Pete Harrison, editing by Rex Merrifield)