Mattel to Phase Out Chemicals in Teethers

Mattel Inc. said it will phase out the use of plastic-softening chemicals in teething toys for children younger than 3 because environmental groups have charged that the chemicals can damage the brain and other organs. The world’s largest toy maker said there was plenty of scientific evidence supporting the safety of the chemicals, additives known as phthalates. The firm said it will begin shipping phthalate-free teethers and other toys intended for the mouths of children under 36 months in the first quarter of 1999. “We believe that Mattel has taken only the smallest step possible toward protecting children from these potentially harmful chemicals, while leaving millions of children still exposed,” said Philip Clapp, president of the National Environmental Trust, a Washington-based nonprofit group. “As every parent knows, children of that age put everything in their mouths, often for extended periods of time.” Shares of El Segundo-based Mattel fell $2.44 to close at $28.75 on the NYSE.