Toy Industry
Making child play safer Certain chemicals that enhance properties of toys are found to expose children to health risks. Are there solutions available to make toys safer, asks Angelica Buan in this article.
Recalls due to lead-based paint and other chemicals Appraised to value US$135 billion by 2020, the global toy industry is undergoing major shifts as technology has pervaded this sector, and thus broadened the selection of toys from traditional to electronic. Nevertheless, what remains constant is the vigilance of consumers on the safety of toys. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recorded toy recalls due to product hazards ranging from injury, fire and allergic reactions to materials containing lead and lead-based paint, and even because of manufacturers’ non-compliance to safety regulations. Materials used in toys are of importance in determining the safety. Over the years, safety compliances have been addressed, thus lowering hazardous incidences.
Plastic, a ubiquitous material for toys, may contain certain additives that are restricted to ensure product safety
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016
In 2014, toy recalls remained low, with only 30 toy products being recalled, one of which involved a lead violation, as compared to 172 toy recalls in 2008, 19 of which were due to excessive lead content, according to CPSC. Aside from lead, other component chemicals, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), are the reasons as to why plastic toys and products get the flak among consumers. Moreover, sharing the problem are other so-called endocrine disruptors such as phthalates, dioxins, fire retardants, perfluorinated chemicals, and others such additives, which have found their way into common products. An article published in 2010 by the National Centre for Biotechnology cited that in the second half of the 1990s, a number of food contact articles and baby toys had been reported to contain these chemicals. Country specific and regulatory bodies like the US Food and Drug Authority (FDA) have enforced limitations on the use of BPA and other chemicals that are proven or suggested to pose health risks. Meanwhile in bid to strengthen safety policy for toys, the F963-16: Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety has been crafted, an updated version of the standards development organisation ASTM International’s safety standard for toys. The revisions are made against potential emerging safety issues, new product safety features, and novel ways that toys are being used that may pose risks to children, according to toy safety sub-committee officials. Included in the 2016 update are material-related issues, such as new requirements for materials and toys that could expand if accidentally swallowed; clarifications to requirements related to heavy elements in the substrate materials of toys and others. Risks ruled out for phthalate alternatives A hazard suspect in toys, phthalates are chemical plasticisers that are often used in the production of various types of plastics for reasons such as making plastics softer and more pliable. According to CPSC, there are currently six types of phthalates that are restricted for use in children's toys and certain child care articles in the amounts prescribed by product safety standards. As of February 2009, three phthalates – DEHP (Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate) – at concentrations greater than 0.1% in toys and