South Africa plans to update its toy migration limits

South Africa opened a consultation until April 29, 2022, to consult on the migration limits for 19 substances used in toy production. This new draft standard is aimed at upgrading South Africa’s toy regulations to sync with the EU’s latest regulatory updates for toys. This draft, SANS 50071-3 Ed 2 will fit with EN 71-3:2019 standard in the EU and will address the requirements and test methods for the migration of the concerned 19 substances. In the draft, toys are categorised into three with specific migration limits, all based on the possibility of substance intake. The three categories include:

Category I: Dry, brittle, powder like or pliable materials

Category II: Liquid or sticky materials

Category III: Scraped-off materials

Liquid toys can be easily ingested, therefore, this category has the weightiest limits while the ingestion rate for plastics is lower, thereby classifying them in the category with the least weighty limits. The concerned 19 substances are aluminium, antimony, arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, chromium (III), chromium (VI), cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, organic tin, selenium, strontium, tin, and zinc. It is important to note that this standard does not apply to toys that have no hazard from sucking, licking, swallowing or long period of skin contact with them. South Africa has also opened consultations for some standards which include mechanical and physical properties test requirements and methods, prohibited flammable materials in toys and requirements for flammability of toys, requirements and test methods for substances and materials used in toys, requirements and test methods for trampolines (used domestically), and their access devices and enclosures (used both outdoor and/or indoor).

The opened consultation (now closed) of this draft standard significantly indicates the upcoming changes to expect in South Africa. The full draft can be viewed here.