Statement by the Art & Creative Materials Institute

THE ART & CREATIVE MATERIALS INSTITUTE, INC. 1280 Main St., P. O. Box 479 Hanson, MA 02341 Tel. (781) 293-4100 Fax (781) 294-0808 Deborah M. Fanning, CAE, Executive Vice President [email protected]

CONTACT: Deborah Fanning 781-293-4100

Statement by The Art & Creative Materials Institute On Phthalates in ACMI-Certified Polymer Clays By Deborah M. Fanning, CAE, Executive Vice President

Phthalates in ACMI-Certified Polymer Clays

BOSTON, December 10, 2003 – Members of The Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. (ACMI) do use phthalates in polymer clays, but these phthalate esters do not present acute or chronic toxicity concerns.

In October 2000 concerns were raised about the use of phthalates in toys, at which time ACMI polymer clay manufacturers voluntarily had their products re-evaluated to address these concerns. ACMI’s consulting toxicological team at Duke University Medical Center (DUKE) evaluated these polymer clays for acute and chronic hazards by all potential routes of exposure and found none. A DUKE study revealed that you would need to overheat and destroy the clay product in the oven-heating process to release hydrogen gas, and <0.1% of the phthalate esters would be released with no breakdown of the polyvinyl chloride. Woodhall Stopford, M.D., principal toxicologist of the ACMI Certification Program, stated that “Phthalate esters found in these polymer clays offer little or no acute toxicity concerns and are not a chronic hazard concern even assuming a large (24 mg) daily ingestion of these clays.” Dr. Stopford’s risk assessment, as well as an executive summary, are available on the DUKE website at http://duketox.mc.duke.edu. Simply click on “Recent Toxicological Issues” on the home page and then scroll down to “Phthalates in Polymer Clays” to access the risk assessment and executive summary. Additional research conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) also found that phthalates in infant/children’s toys pose little or no risk to humans.

In July 2002 the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) released a report on the danger of phthalates in polymer clays, contending that these clays could expose children and adults to dangerous levels of phthalates through inhalation and ingestion. Following the release of this report, ACMI conducted additional studies of polymer clay with input from CPSC on the test methodology. These studies included manipulating polymer clay both in the laboratory and by professional polymer clay artists and analyzing wash water after manipulation. Results of this study are available on the DUKE website under “Recent Toxicological Issues.” CPSC has extensively tested samples of polymer clay for safety concerns and found that they did not contain any volatile organic compounds and that no acid gases were released if the clay was baked to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. They found that hydrogen gas was released only if the clay was heated to the point of turning black, or at/above 356 degrees Fahrenheit.

Continued….. A report released last month by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPRIG) repeats the claim that polymer clays may expose children and adults to dangerous levels of phthalates. ACMI has never been contacted by VPIRG or USPIRG about their polymer clay study, neither prior to the release of their study or subsequently, or prior to the release of the latest report by USPIRG. Despite the extensive testing conducted by both ACMI and CPSC, USPIRG continues to recommend that consumers avoid polymer clays and that CPSC recall these clays. This month’s issue of Consumer Reports magazine mentions a specific ACMI-certified polymer clay as a “top pick” of products it tested for kids. Consumer Reports stated that they were aware of the USPIRG concerns but that their own evaluation and that of CPSC have found polymer clays to be safe. The conclusions drawn by CPSC that polymer clays are safe following their own testing of these clays confirms the re-evaluation and additional testing conducted by ACMI’s certification program. Polymer clays in the ACMI Certification Program continue to receive ACMI’s non-toxic designation.

Why ACMI’s Certification Program is an Effective Safeguard

Since 1940, ACMI has sponsored a certification program for children’s art materials, certifying that these products are non-toxic and meet voluntary standards of quality and performance. Today, the toxicology portion of that program is directed by Woodhall Stopford, MD, MSPH, of Duke University Medical Center Occupational Health Service. ACMI’s Toxicological Advisory Board consists of Elaina Kenyon of the Environmental Protection Agency, James C. Lamb, PhD, DABT of The Weinberg Group, John H. Mennear, PhD, Consultant Scientist in Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Thomas B. Starr, PhD, Principal, ENVIRON International Corp.

The toxicology program must approve every formula of every color of every product and must approve every formula change. Safety is the only consideration. Indeed, the program has banned previously approved ingredients and established restrictions when new developments have occurred. ACMI’s certification program takes extra precautions to ensure that children’s art supplies are safe. No hazardous level of any ingredient is permitted in any art material product evaluated as non- toxic in the ACMI program. ACMI’s toxicological team takes into account the metabolism of a small child when evaluating art materials, evaluates each ingredient and its quantity, possible adverse interaction with other ingredients, the product’s size and packaging, potential acute and chronic harm to any part of the human body, possible allergic reaction, how a product is commonly used and misused, and U.S. national and state art material labeling regulations. Consumers can access the entire database of products certified by ACMI and other safety information on our website www.acminet.org.

Parents, educators and others are urged to read the labels on sidewalk chalks and other art products to better understand if they have been evaluated by ACMI and if they are non-toxic. Art materials that have been evaluated by ACMI will bear one of the ACMI seals:

Art materials that have been evaluated as non-toxic should bear the statement "Conforms to ASTM D 4236" and should have no hazard information or safe-use instructions on the label. All ACMI-certified art materials meant for children cannot bear hazard information, must be non-toxic, and will bear the ACMI AP OR CP Seals with the ASTM D 4236 conformance statement.

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The Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. is an international trade association and the leading authority on art and creative materials. ACMI’s more than 200 members are art and creative materials manufacturers. Since its inception, ACMI’s certification program has certified that products in the program are either non-toxic or appropriately labeled with cautionary language and safe use instructions.