On 28 November 2016, the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Scientific Risks (SCHEER) is to form a scientific opinion on the tolerable intake of aluminium, with regards to adapting migration limits in toys.

The EU Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC establishes migration limits for 19 elements in toys or components of toys, depending on the type of toy material used. The current aluminium migration limits under the directive are as below based on a RIVM advisory report of 2008:

Both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) established tolerable intake levels for aluminium that are notably lower than the level that was the basis for the migration limits for aluminium in the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. This suggests the migration limits be adapted

SCHEER is asked:

1. To review the available data on the toxicity of aluminium that are currently available, taking into account the different tolerable intake levels for aluminium established by EFSA in 2008 and JECFA in 2011;

2. To advise on a tolerable intake level for aluminium based on most recent data that could be used to adapt the migration limits for aluminium in the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, taking account of the exposure to aluminium from sources other than toys.

SCHEER is expected to develop the preliminary opinion by May 2017 and the final opinion will be given in the autumn.

C&K Testing’s comments:

Any change to the tolerable intake of aluminium will result in amendment of the aluminium migration limit. C&K Testing advises businesses to deal with due care.

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