EU to Endorse Ban on Some Plastic Toys

European Union lawmakers will take a first step toward banning some plastic toys suspected of harming children, casting aside toy and chemical makers’ protests that there is no scientific evidence to justify it. The European Parliament today probably will toughen proposals to broaden and make permanent a curb on soft toys that contain chemical compounds called phthalates, which have been found to cause cancer in some studies. “There’s no justification for a ban; they just want to see the headlines ‘Parliament protects children,’ ” said Maurits Bruggink, secretary general of Toy Industries of Europe, which represents manufacturers including Bandai Inc., Lego and Mattel Inc., the world’s leading toy maker. About 70% of toys on the market are already phthalate-free.