NGO publishes consumer guide to "toxic-free" toys
Sustainability NGO Women in Europe for a Common Future has produced a two-page leaflet to help consumers choose "toxic-free" toys. The leaflet, written in German, will be handed out tomorrow at the International toys Fair in Nuremberg and will be reprinted in English, French and Dutch in the coming weeks.
The brochure provides information about the kind of toys that may contain 13 groups of substances: aniline, bisphenol A, lead, brominated flame retardants, cadmium, chlorinated paraffins, chromium, formaldehyde, nonylphenols, organotins, perfluorinated chemicals, phthalates and triclosan. It briefly describes the "potential dangers" and gives tips on how to avoid them. For example, it says cuddly toys should be made from natural materials or should carry the Oko-Tex 100 label, and flexible plastic toys should not be made of PVC because they will contain phthalates.
NGOs were disappointed by the final version of the recently agreed EU toy safety Directive, which has also been criticised by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (CW 6 January 2009).
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