What About The Risks of Chemicals in Toys?

Although there have been some concerns in the past about plastic toys and chemicals in toys, the main concern was about the use of chemicals called phthalates. Phthalates are a group of chemicals used as plasticisers in many products, including cosmetics, but have been used in toys in the past.

Phthalates have been linked in the past to reproductive system disorders as well as an increased risk of asthma and cancer. For these reasons, a toy safety directive by the EU banned the use of phthalates in any plastic toys that were likely to be chewed or sucked on by small children, although the plastics industry vehemently denied that there was any discernible risk.

Since this directive has been in place, phthalates have been banned in any toy or part of a toy which can enter a child’s mouth cavity “in such a way that a substantive area of plastic material may be chewed and sucked with a high degree of comfort and ease giving rise to prolonged periods of mouthing.”

So any plastic toy that you give to your child should now be phthalate-free, especially if it’s designed for the under threes.Plastic toys have long been a favourite among children, who love them for their ability to bounce back, and withstand plenty of abuse – while parents love them for their toy safety, the fact that they are washable toys, and that they provide hours of fun...