Law to ban flame retardant on kids' gear

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will sign a state law banning the sale of children's products that are treated with a flame retardant chemical that has been linked to cancer in test animals, he said Saturday.

The legislation prohibits the sale of children's products such as baby toys, car seats, crib mattresses and strollers that are treated with the chemical commonly known as Tris.

The ban will apply to products sold after Dec. 1, 2013. First-time violators would pay $1,000 per day.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the sale of Tris-treated children's clothing in 1977 after a study linked it to cancer and other evidence showed it could be absorbed through the skin.

The chemical was mostly being used in sleepwear at the time, which was required to be flame-resistant.

Tris was being used in baby products containing polyurethane foam, a study published by the journal Environmental Science & Technology in May alleged.

But the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association has said the study did not support the allegations because it instead focused on materials chemically related to Tris that have similar names but are not banned.

The trade group said nursery products "conform to tough federal standards," including flammability requirements that restrict the use of toxic substances that could be harmful to children.

The association did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the governor's announcement.

-- AP