PREZENTATION: Heavy metals in toys and children protection against toxics in Belarus (D. Chumakova)

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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


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