Heavy metals in toys and children protection against toxics in Belarus
Darya Chumakova Center for Environmental Solutions Minsk, Belarus
27/11/2013 Prague
Situation in Belarus
q Absolutely no information is available to consumers about toxic chemicals in the products q No special labelling provided for children goods and toys q Also the level of information in mass media concerning toxics (e.g.,heavy metals, phtalates, BPA) in the products (children goods and toys) is very low
Legislation in Belarus
All toxics maintenance in children toys and goods regulated by two laws: q Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "The safety of toys" 008/2011 q Technical Regulations of the Customs Union " product safety for children and teenagers “ 007/2011 It one regulation law, it is also valid for three countries of Customs Union: Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan
Availability of toxics research in accredited laboratories to the public
It is possible to test on different toxic parameters any toy or good for child, but: qyou need to have cash receipt qyou need to have original packaging of toy or good qtesting one parameter (e.g. one heavy metal) costs too much, starting from 100 euro qyou can not use received data as proof and the basis for litigation in the court
Choose any variant
Item Producer Place of purchase Price
School counting sticks “Uniopt”, Belarus Central Department Store 0,4 euro
School counting sticks “Esir”, Belarus Central Department Store 0,36 euro
Methodology In partnership of organizations from IPEN network: Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment, Armenia Center for Environmental Solutions, Belarus Greenwomen, Kazakhstan Independent Ecological Expertise, Kyrgyzstan Eco-Accord, Russia MAMA-86, Ukraine In the frames of the project "Toxic metals in products for children in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA)"
Methodology What: toys made of metal, plastic, wool, fabric, cardboard, jewelry for kids, school supplies (books and pencil cases), and other products for children (combs and bracelets) Where: shopping malls, department stores and wholesale markets How much: all 569 items 69 - from Armenia, 65 - from Belarus, 56 - from Kazakhstan, 79 - from Kyrgyzstan, 50 - from Ukraine 250 - from Russia
Methodology
Device: portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer (XRF) What investigated: the content of six metals (antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury) The dimension of the results: parts per million (ppm)
Methodology Comparison: with sanitary standards (2.1.7.12-1-2004) for chemical substances in soils (the decision Chief Sanitary Doctor of the Republic of Belarus of 25 February 2005. â„– 28) Antimony - 4.5 ppm, Arsenic - 2 ppm, Lead - 32 ppm Mercury - 2.1 ppm Similar laws and standards that contain the same content limits for toxic metals exist in other countries of the EECCA
Results Comprises at least one of six toxic metal identified in this study, including antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury
in EECCA of 569 products in 164 samples (29%) Number of samples containing metals
%
antimony
75
13%
arsenic
45
cadmium
Belarus of 65 product in 23 samples (35%) Number of samples containing metals
%
antimony
9
14%
8%
arsenic
7
11%
11
2%
cadmium
1
2%
chrome
32
6%
chrome
5
8%
lead
104
18%
lead
12
19%
mercury
18
3%
mercury
5
8%
Metal
Metal
Results
Of the 569 tested toys (EECCA) in 75 samples (13%) observed more than one toxic metal. Of the 65 tested products purchased in Belarus for more than one heavy metal contains 7 samples (11%)
Results Some products containing heavy metals were imported from the European Union (6 products, or 4%) EU country Czech Republic Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary Germany
toy watch
Good
Car "Lego"
Metals lead, chromium antimony
Glowing bracelets in the Lead, antimony, arsenic form of tubes
Greece
Car
antimony, mercury
Malta
doll "Builder"
antimony
Poland
Gun with colored balls
lead, arsenic, chromium
Results
Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "On the safety of toys" contains a list of goods which are excluded from the list of testing, but considered as toys by parents and children: ยง sports equipment, including underwater; ยง replicas of firearms; ยง jewelry for children; ยง adaptations for swimming (e.g, inflatable cuff, worn on the hand); protective equipment (goggles for swimming, sun glasses, bicycle helmets, skateboard helmets). #
Good
37ARM10192012
Collection of fashion jewelry
60BLR31102012
Set of rings for girls
73 KYR30102012
Mask, snorkel, goggles
125RUS20102012
Frisbee
lead (ppm.) 32
antimony (ppm)
292 514 1054
Arsenic (ppm) 31
Results
No toxics metals (in excess of the limits used in this study) were observed in: 405 products (71%), purchased in EECCA, no toxic metals concentration in excess of the limits used in this study 42 (65%) of children's products and toys bought in Belarus
Problems 1. One from four tested toys contain heavy metals 2. Toxic metals are a big threat to health 3. Some toys containing heavy metals are produced in the European Union 4. There are categories of goods not covered by the technical regulations of the Customs Union "On the safety of toys"
Item
School counting sticks
School counting sticks
Producer
“Uniopt”, Belarus
“Esir”, Belarus
Place of purchase
Central Department Store
Central Department Store
Price Component Toxic metals (ppm)
0,4 euro
0,36 euro
yellow stick
yellow stick
Lead
n/d
Lead
8855
Arsenic
n/d
Arsenic
1217
Chromium
n/d
Chromium
3382
Mercury
n/d
Mercury
76
Phthalates in toys Dibytil phthalate not allowed Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "The safety of toys" 008/2011
Activity § press conference on the results of testing toys and children products; § the series of different publications in newspapers, magazines, presentations on radio and TV; § created special interactive web-site www.safetoys.by dedicated to the problems of toys safety (with the possibility to sign a petition); § created thematic info materials (poster and leaflet) rewed by Republic Scientific and Practical Centre of Hygiene; § conducted a round table with all stakeholders (Ministry of Health, Ministry of environment and natural resources, testing, certification, regulatory authorities and laboratories, manufacturers, NGO’s, Consumer Protection Society , consumers); § different promotional activities for young mothers, specialists working with mothers and e.t.c.
Recommendations § Government should introduce labeling of toxic metals in children's products; § Make possible to perform large-scale testing of toys and baby products by express methods; § To develop standard with a lower limit of the concentration of heavy metals, particularly lead in toys and products for children; § Controls over imports of goods and children's toys on the territory of the Republic of Belarus should be strengthened and tighten; § The list of products that do not apply to toys and therefore does not fall within the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "On safety of toys “ should be reviewed; § Producers should actively improve the technological processes and planning on releasing the product range § Consumers should carefully study the labeling of products for children and try to determine their chemical safety before buying.
Thanks for your attention!
chumakova@ecoidea.by www.ecoidea.by