EU aims to protect children from harmful chemicals in toy

The EU Parliament's Committee on Consumer Protection passed new regulations to protect children from dangerous toys, focusing in particular on the health risks of harmful chemicals.

Following a proposal from July 2023

The decision at committee level in Parliament followed the European Commission's proposal from July 2023, which aimed to reduce the number of dangerous toys sold in the EU - especially online - by ensuring a level playing field for toys manufactured in the EU and those imported.

Focusing on harmful chemicals

The EU institutions are now paying particular attention to harmful chemicals that are contained in numerous children's toys and pose a risk to children's health and development. The new regulations retain the ban on substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction and introduce new bans on endocrine disruptors and other chemicals.

A recent study conducted by a Danish consumer organization examined 121 children's products, including toys, blankets and drinking bottles, and found that more than 60 percent of them contain or release at least one, and in many cases two or more bisphenols.

According to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), studies have shown that endocrine disruptors may be responsible for a decrease in sperm count, an increase in male children born with genital malformations and an increase in certain cancers known to respond to hormones.

According to Euractiv sources, however, the deal has not yet gone through.

Source: www.euractiv.de