BUND randomly inspects hazardous substances in toys and childcare articles

Recently BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) randomly inspected daily toys and childcare articles intended for domestic sales and tested whether they contained plasticisers, PAHs and other hazardous substances. However, the result shows nearly 90% of those products are non-compliant due to the presence of hazardous substances involving phthalates, PAHs, formaldehyde, methylbenzene and the like.
 
BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany) is a non-profit, non-partisan, and non-confessional federal grassroots NGO with about 500,000 members and supporters. BUND’s focus is on nature conservation and environmental protection. It cooperates with partners within the network and speaks on the level of country and international area.
 
BUND bought nine childcare articles from nine renowned manufacturers for plastics, fabrics and leather during November 2014 to March 2015. It is noticeable that the association alleges most of those products are made in Chinese mainland and India with prices varying from EURO 9.95 to EURO 29.95 via retailers, sports stores and online shops in Germany.
 
To our shock, BUND found a set of diving breathing tube for children contain many phthalates, among which DEHP reached as high as 45,000mg/kg. As one of common phthalates used for plasticisers, DEHP is also among the first six phthalates that are gradually phased out under REACH regulation.
 
BUND further reveals that there are still defects in regulation and supervision of the Member States leading to greater difficulty for parents to learn about the presence of hazardous substances in children’s products that placed on the market. So it suggests parents to inquire manufacturers of the presence of SVHCs (substances of high concern) in products. According REACH regulation, relevant companies should provide information within 45 days at the first request of customers. Meanwhile, parents had better not buy PVC products due to their high likelihood of containing hazardous phthalates.
 
Reminder: Toys are always among the product categories with the greatest export volume in China and Europe Union is also a targeted market. But toys made in China are frequently notified by RAPEX, or recalled, withdrawn and even destroyed as they are non-compliant with REACH and EN71 in the Europe Union. It is advisable for companies to make compliance test to avoid trade barriers.