Carlow MEP backs EU move to remove chemicals from children's toys

Carlow native and MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has backed new EU Toy Directive which aims to take chemicals out of the manufacture of toys. As parents scramble to buy toys for the Christmas holidays, Ní Mhurchú said they have to be confident that those toys are safe. Research shows that toys often contain harmful chemicals that can be associated with a wide array of health issues in children.

The European Parliament is moving to ban chemicals called endocrine disruptors in the manufacture of our children’s toys. Endocrine disruptors such as phthalates, PVC and BPA are used in toy plastics to make them flexible, shatterproof, colourful and so on. They have been linked to certain cancers, abnormal reproductive systems, early onset puberty, obesity and other health issues. The manufacturers of these plastics will argue that low doses will cause no harm, but continual studies show that prolonged exposure over time can be damaging - in particular in the case of a young child putting the plastics in their mouth every day.

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Endocrine disruptors are found in many everyday products, including some cosmetics, carpet, and pesticides. Most parents will be surprised to learn that these harmful chemicals are often used in the manufacture of their children’s toys.

According to Ní Mhurchú,

"Babies and children are particularly vulnerable to harmful chemicals as they are still developing. The EU Toy Safety Directive has previously regulated the use of many chemicals but now we are updating that law to cover more harmful chemicals. According to medicalnewstoday.com the substances that are often used in the manufacturer of toys may contribute to health complications such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, and fertility issues in later life”

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones, which are part of the endocrine system. These chemicals are associated with a wide array of health issues.

The proposals were endorsed by the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee of the European Parliament, of which Cynthia Ní Mhurchú is a member.

According to Ní Mhurchú,

“The purpose of these new laws are to protect our children from invisible dangers such as harmful chemicals and ensuring that warnings such as age restrictions are clearly visible on the products. Toys are an essential part of a child’s upbringing but we want children to be able to enjoy their toys without doing them any harm”

There have been many studies over the years on chemical levels in toys. In 2018, researchers from the University of Plymouth studied hundreds of children’s toys to assess what chemicals they might be harbouring. In many of the toys, the researchers found traces of elements such as antimony, barium, bromine, cadmium, chromium, lead, and selenium - all of which can be harmful chemicals.

The EU Commission prepares an annual report into unsafe product alerts in the EU market. Toys feature heavily in these reports, coming in second place, after Cosmetics, in 2023.

The new laws also make changes to so called “smart toys” to ensure they are designed to comply with safety, security and privacy standards. All toys will be required to have a Digital Product Passport, which will include information on compliance with the proposed Regulation. Importers will have to submit digital product passports for all toys at the EU borders to ensure compliance.