Preventing chemical risks in your toy supply chain

Whether they are wooden or plastic, chemicals are the main component of toy products. The saying “garbage in, garbage out” can also apply to toy production, with bad chemicals making toxic toys. Thus, the use of chemicals in toys is especially concerning since children can be more vulnerable to the health impacts of certain chemicals. In the European Union, toys are one of the most frequently notified product categories and high levels of restricted chemical substances is one of the most important associated risks. In this article, we will discuss ways that you can prevent chemical risks in your toy supply chain.

Ways to prevent chemical risks in your toy supply chain

Chemicals, intentionally or unintentionally added. in toys, can have hazardous properties. Here are suggestions that can prevent chemical risks in your toy supply chain:

Increase the traceability of your supply chain

Conducting supply chain mapping is a great start to knowing more about your suppliers and increasing the traceability of your supply chain. With good visibility comes the opportunity to manage risk effectively. You can make informed decisions with the ability to manage suppliers, switching suppliers when red flags are raised in relation to chemical compliance, and mitigate chemical risks in your toy supply chain.

Implement chemical management audit

Poor practices around usage and storage of chemicals can pose high risks to workers and the environment. It is important for companies to look into how chemicals are managed within their supply chains to minimise risks arising from chemical hazards. There are various areas that require scrutiny including chemical regulations and permits, chemical policies/procedures and document control, chemical purchasing/ procurement, chemical inventory logs, storage and handling of chemicals, RSL and MRSL, chemical testing, chemical training, etc.

Be aware of using recycled materials

Sustainability is an increasing trend among all industries, including the toy industry. Use of recycled materials in toys is a good means of supporting sustainable development but potential chemical risks can be an issue with recycled materials. Studies have found that some toxic and banned additives are still detected in plastic toys on regulated markets, this is because there is little traceability associated with recycled plastics and their legacy chemical content.

To mitigate chemical risks caused by this factor, you should choose only reputable recycled materials suppliers and conduct robust chemical testing.

Conduct comprehensive chemical testing

Bisphenols, flame retardants, colorants, and formaldehyde are examples of chemical substances that are commonly found in toy products. Several of these chemicals may pose negative health effects on humans, including children.

There are stringent regulations worldwide that limit or forbid certain chemicals used in toys, for example Directive 2009/48/EC (EU Toy Safety Directive), ASTM F963-17 (Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety), and European standard EN 71. However, research has found that a consistent international approach for globally regulating chemicals in children's products and toys remains a challenge.

Existing regulations usually focus on particular chemicals (e.g., phthalates, brominated flame retardants and metals), rather than focusing on a broad range of chemical substances and as such can expose toy manufacturers to chemical risks. Conducting comprehensive and regular chemical testing of your toy products can help to proactively manage compliance and ensure the sale of safe and compliant products on internal markets.

How the Eurofins Toys & Hardlines network of laboratories can help?

As a global expert in chemical testing of toys, the Eurofins Toys & Hardlines network of laboratories provides reliable and accurate services to help achieve product compliance, quality conformance, supply chain monitoring, and improvement.

Our Chem-ST hazardous chemical screening is a unique system that allows for fast, intelligent, and cost-effective screening of chemicals, materials, and finished products for global chemical compliance purposes. It is designed to screen hundreds of chemicals commonly found within toys to provide a complete RSL health check within a specifically designed testing programme. We also offer chemical testing, MRSL testing, supply chain mapping, and chemical management audits to help you prevent chemical risks in your toy supply chain.

For more details, please visit https://www.eurofins.com/toys-hardlines/industry-and-products/toys/