Plasticizers are essential to manufacture flexible PVC products. A number of plasticizers can be used in PVC. But in Western Europe, phthalates have been very widely used as plasticizers for PVC products constituting almost 90% of all plasticizers used. Migration of these phthalates from toys while chewing by toddlers was a major concern.  In fact, a restriction was put on the use of phthalates for such applications until sufficient evidence is obtained to prove their influence.

In the mean time, another plasticizer called Acetyl Tributyl Citrate ( ATBC) was considered for such delicate applications. The European Commission's scientific committee on toxicity, eco toxicity and the environment (CSTEE) has concluded that Toxicology/Regulatory Services Inc's (Charlotteville, USA) 2003 standard measurement of ATBC's potential to leach into human saliva is "of good quality".  To obtain a clear picture of a risk assessment report on Acetyl Tributyl Citrate (ATBC) as plasticizer used in children's toys, the following questions have been posed :

		Is the CSTEE of the opinion that the risk assessment is of  a good quality?
		Is the CSTEE of the opinion that the risk assessment has provided sufficient sound scientific evidence to show that toys plasticized with Acetyl Tributyl Citrate can be safely used by children?

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