Danish finds problematic chemicals in fidget toys

According to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals, specific children’s toys have been discovered to contain some chemicals that are problematic.

The Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals discovered that fidget toys, also known as pop-it or anti-stress toys have various chemicals that are harmful. Therefore, advises parents to keep such toys away from their kids. The Danish EPA also warns against the use of pea-pods bought from Wish.

Fidget toys refer to the toys that can be squeezed, pressed, pulled, or moved to keep a child’s hands active.

After testing 21 different types of fidget toys, the following were discovered:

• Pea pod keychains from wish.com contain phthalate DIBP in high values, above the legal limit. Additionally, DIBP was banned in EU from usage in toys and other products due to its endocrine disrupting nature. The Danish EPA recommends that every pop-it pea pod be disposed as the Swedish Chemicals Agency sends a request to wish.com for a marketing halt of these products. This request was made in accordance with the agreement between several e-commerce platforms and the EU Commission (Product Safety Pledge) to be able to stop marketing products that are not documented in accordance with EU legislation.
• Four fidgets contain PAH naphthalene, which is possibly carcinogenic. The substance’s amount is also above the German recommendation for toys that encounter children’s skin in all the four toys. The only carcinogenic PAH not prohibited in toys is naphthalene. These four fidgets are: Edamame keychain from Lightinthebox, Orange chicken from Chao Chao, Cute peanut-shaped popper from Bent, and Bendable smiley man from ABC-leg.
• Pop-it toys contain problematic siloxanes; these are toys children play with by pushing small bubbles up and down on a silicon plate. The three pop-it toys that were tested all contain siloxanes D4, D5, and D6. These siloxanes are listed on the EU’s official list of substances of very high concern (SVHC) for dangerous to the environment and health. However, the existence of siloxanes in pop-it toys are legal and the agency is uncertain about the migration of these chemicals from the silicone to the children when they play with them.

Considering the dangers these toys are likely to pose to children, it is highly important that agencies and chemical regulation governing bodies appropriately and adequately research and regulate the chemical substances used in making toys.

Last Update: 2021-11-30