"Cheap US Toy spaceships may really be harmful" Topic

Some friends & I have been planning on ordering some of the US Toy space ships that are larger versions of the Silent Death ones. ustoy.com , search for item 1601

But when I went to check out the site today, I noticed they were labelled as not able to be shipped to California, & the following notice was at the top of their web page:

Some products may contain Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate ("DEHP").

So I'm guessing that's why they're not allowed to be shipped into California any more.

Here's some info on the chemical:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEHP

Just wanted to warn people in case their kids are chewing on them right now.

burnt toast is listed as a carcinogen in California and cannot be imported.
go figure.

I'd rather burn my own toast anyway instead of outsourcing it.

Try – auction

As a risk assessor for hazardous waste, I can lend some info.

A great summary of DHEP can be found here:

atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts9.html

To summarize all I know, phthalates are ubiquitous around us due to their frequent use in plastics. While they are known to be carcinogenic and to potentially affect the reproductive system, it is generally thought (and tests seem to indicate) that it takes a lot to cause an effect; therefore, the concentrations all around us are not generally considered dangerous.

However, there are those who think that A) phthalates may produce more subtle effects on humans, especially with regard to fertility and hormones or B) the constant low level exposure, combined with exposures to other similar chemicals, can cause effects.

I would note that the same ships are available from em4. Maybe the em4 ships are of a harder plastic for which phthalates might be less of an issue? I don't know.

Hope this helps.

Guess I'm trashing (errr…recycling!) all of my plastics minis and going back to nice, safe lead!

Hmm, any issues with shipping lead figures into California? :)

uuummm… tasty, tasty lead….

The biggest danger with phthalates as I understand it (finishing my high school teaching degree in chemistry) is that they are used to make plastics more 'bendy.' Soft, bendable plastics are rich in phthalate goodness. Now, when your little tyke is starting to teeth, what do we give them to chew on? Thats right, soft, bendy, chewy, phthlate-rich plastic. So now it's getting banned around the world in a piecemeal fashion.

At least, that is my understanding of the issue.

And I've always been told, "Paint covers a multitude of sins."

Especially lead-based paints :)

I have the ones from USToys. They resemble the plastic Silent Death ships that eM4 sells, but are larger. Probably by 20%. They are soft plastic and lack some of the fine details the eM4 plastic or RAFM pewter ones have.

Basically phthalates are only an issue if they come into contact with a mucous membrane or are ingested. And once the ships are encased in primer and paint, you're not even going to be able to touch the plastics.

Anyone who wants to make an issue of phthalates needs to start with examining the food containers they use. Then look at children's toys for those of an age to be chewing on them. Miniatures used by adults probably shouldn't even make the list.

Oh, and on a semi-related note, do NOT use plastics in the microwave or freezer. The heat/cold causes long complex molecules to drip off the plastic and into your food/drink. These are called dioxyn's, and are carcinogens. Plastic tops for glassware containers are also out.

I now try to warn people who put their water bottles in the freezer. I've done a lot of manual labor jobs over the years, and I hate to think how many do this.

I am so glad I live in Pennsylvania. With all those chemicals "Known to cause cancer in the state of California" I am 2500 miles on the safe side.

"I would note that the same ships are available from em4. Maybe the em4 ships are of a harder plastic for which phthalates might be less of an issue? I don't know."

The EM4 ships are the original SD:TNM plastics designed for the game proper. They are in scale with the metal miniatures, all of which are still very much in production. The EM4 ships are hard plastic AFAIK, just like the originals.

The US Toy ships are unlicensed rip-off copies from China. They are softer plastics, somewhat less detailed, but still quite useable if you're not too picky, are willing to trim off the "Made in China" raised logo, and don't mind drilling holes for flight stands in soft plastics (oddly enough, two or three of the copies have ready-made holes, while most of the rest do not – go figure).

I have examples of both (who'd a guessed!), and the US Toy copies are much larger by several factors, not as large as the official 3 to 1 scale models, but about mid way between. The Chinese copies also fail to produce all twelve of the original "Core Ships" that these represent, leaving out the Dart in particular for reasons which escape me.

Hope this helps!

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

I had a vast gaggle of these, but I ate them. Should I not have done that?

Really I find it hard to base any decision I make on the "what would California do" model.

Thank you for the info though.

Somehow I get the idea that if minis were made of cabbage California would still find a way to ban them as hazardous.

I would remind you that the great stampede away from lead in miniatures companies was started by one of those eastern states.

"I would remind you that the great stampede away from lead in miniatures companies was started by one of those eastern states."

New York to be specific; it was all a case of dirty NY politics meets messy NY divorce…

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net