With Christmas just around the corner, you may be looking to buy presents for your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews. Unfortunately, numerous studies have found many children’s products to contain harmful chemicals, such as PFAS, bisphenols and phthalates. Some of these chemicals are known or suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), also known as hormone disrupters, can interfere with the body’s sensitive hormone system. Exposure to EDCs has been linked to various health issues, such as certain hormonal cancers, reproductive problems, and obesity.

Children are more susceptible to adverse health effects from these chemicals, partly because they are still developing.

For example, in 2023, the Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals collaborated with organisations across the EU to test 121 children’s products for the presence of bisphenols, such as BPA.

Products were purchased from Denmark, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovenia .and online. They included baby teething toys, sippy cups, baby slippers, baby blankets, sunglasses, and children’s socks.

60% of the products tested contained one or more bisphenols, including BPA, BPS and BPF. Childhood exposure to BPA has been linked to negative impacts on brain development, impairment of reproductive functioning, and increased risks of obesity and diabetes.

In a separate study, they tested 20 toy dolls and found that 3 contained banned phthalates, with one showing levels 114 times above the legal limit.

Testing conducted by the Swiss consumer protection organisation, Fédération romande des consommateurs, on teething toys, found 7 out of the 10 tested released one or more bisphenols.

There is good news though. A review by the European Consumer Organisation, BEUC, highlighted that many children’s products on the market do not contain harmful chemicals. This demonstrates that it is possible for companies to find safer alternatives and that regulations could be effective in ensuring protection from harmful chemicals.

Here are some tips to help you avoid children’s products containing harmful chemicals this Christmas:

• Purchase toys and other children’s products from reputable stores.
• Avoid toys that smell strongly of chemicals or are heavily scented.
• Choose toys made from solid wood, if painted, look for water-based, non-toxic paints made with natural dyes such as vegetable pigments.
• Avoid soft plastic toys, as these may contain harmful chemicals like phthalates.
• When shopping for toiletries for children, look for products with ecolabels, such as the EU Ecolabel.

However, the burden should not be on consumers to avoid harmful chemicals, and stronger regulations are needed to protect us. CHEM Trust is calling for the most harmful chemicals to be banned in consumer products such as toys and cosmetics.

Find more advice for parents here.

Check out our Reduce Your Risk reel series on Instagram for more consumer-friendly tips.

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