Toxic chemicals do not belong in children’s toys – and last week, the European Parliament took a strong position on making this a reality. With 603 votes in favour, 5 against and 15 abstentions, the Members of the European Parliament decided to support the revision of the current EU Toys Safety Directive.
Last week saw the European Parliament vote almost unanimously to improve toys legislation, which will update the directive that dates back to 2009. We now have greater knowledge of the harms that lurk in some children’s toys and this move will bring toy safety up to date with what the science is telling us.
The legislation is set to ban the most harmful chemicals in toys, such as endocrine disruptors, the forever chemicals PFAS and bisphenols. It would also broaden the scope for restricting potentially harmful chemicals that bioaccumulate, persist and are toxic. Some of these chemicals have been linked to reduced immunity and increased risk of developing certain cancers, and even at low doses some can harm a child’s development.
On top of this, the Parliament voted in support of digital passports, which would mean that all toys sold in the EU would have digital passports that would detail compliance and make the traceability of toys more efficient. This will help ensure that parents are able to easily access safety information and warnings on potentially harmful substances in toys.
Last minute attempts to dilute the legislation failed, and inspired a civil society letter by CHEM Trust and 23 other organisations to the EU Parliament, calling on them to restrict the most harmful chemicals in toys. It was positive to see nearly all MEPs support this position and vote for a safer future for children.
Amelia Womack Senior EU campaigner at CHEM Trust said:
“We are pleased to see that the Members of the European Parliament are prioritising our children’s health and wellbeing by voting for legislation that prevents the most harmful chemicals from being in their toys. The Council of the EU must now do the same to ensure children are properly protected while they play”.
The text constitutes Parliament’s position at first reading, and the file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections on 6-9 June. Read more about last week’s vote and the next steps towards a new Toy Safety regulation in the EU Parliament’s press release.
However, children are also exposed to harmful chemicals in their wider environment, and we are all at risk from the harms of toxic chemicals. The European Environment Agency warned that the European population is already exposed to bisphenol A (BPA) at levels well above acceptable health safety levels and that this poses a potential health risk to millions of people.
CHEM Trust also calls for the EU to ensure the well-being of all of its citizens by delivering on its promises in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and prioritising the REACH revision in the early days of the next commission.
Learn more about how harmful substances can particularly impact the health and development of children in our report, No Brainer.
