Norway asks EU for stricter rules for chemicals in toys
Norway, together with 11 other countries, has asked the EU Commission to quicken the pace regarding work on hazardous chemicals and additives in toys.
“Toys that are sold must be safe. We know that toys can contain dangerous substances to which children are exposed. The EU commission’s work on setting limit values for chemicals in toys progresses too slowly. It is important that we use every opportunity to influence the EU to quicken the pace,” Minster for Climate and the Environment, Ola Elvestuen (Liberals), states.
The Danish Minister for the Environment, Jakob Elleman-Jensen, has taken the initiative for a joint letter to the EU Commission on chemicals and other additives in toys.
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Two main points
The two main points in the letter to the EU Commission are:
- The EU Commission is working too slowly to set revised limit values for chemicals in the regulations regarding toys. This applies in particular to aluminium and the carcinogenic nitrosamines
- The rules for toys currently do not include limit values for the content of substances in toys for children over three years. A number of toys meant for this age group, such as clay or squeeze toys, however, contain chemicals and preservatives that may be harmful.
The countries behind the letter further encourage the Commission to update and develop pertinent technical information and guidance material.
Toys that are traded in Norway are subject to the EU toy directive. Both the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB) prioritise guidance and supervision aimed at the toy industry. The Norwegian Environment Agency carried out an action in 2018 to investigate whether the toys that were sold were CE marked. CE marking indicates that a toy or other product meets the requirements of the EU regulations.
© Regjeringen.no / #Norway Today
