So someone finally told Germany about phthalates. The Green Party is asking the German government to distribute information about phthalates in sex toys and how to protect against them, and to formulate a plan for regulating the use of phthalates.

Just in case you didn't know, phthalates are harmful chemicals that are believed to leech into your skin when you touch something containing the chemicals to an area with mucus membranes. The Green Party composed a paper discussing the toxic chemicals and the things they cause. Using phthalates, says the paper, “can lead to infertility, hormone imbalances, diabetes and obesity.”

The government's not in any rush. They say the Green Party's paper doesn't provide enough evidence of the chemicals' toxicity. “Moreover, a national government is not capable of regulating the flow of products, much of which comes from Internet orders and imports,” is the government’s response, according to Der Spiegel. However, “the use of phthalates and other toxic substances in plastics will likely only be allowed in products for a limited time to come, because Germany and other European Union nations have suggested the introduction of an approval procedure.”