Eurofins | Newsflash - February 2019 | Toys & Childcare
Three standards to improve the safety in babies’ sleeping environment
As already announced in our Eurofins News Flash Sept 2018 edition, from August 2018, three standards are available from CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) with the aim to minimize the main risks posed by products in the sleeping environment of babies and young children such as: chemical, flammability, hygiene, entrapment, suffocation hazards, etc….
New update of Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs)
On 15th January 2019, the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) has released the new Candidate List of SVHCs. With the addition of 6 new substances, the current list of SVHCs contains 197 substances.
New Toy Standard Version EN 71-14:2018
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has recently published new version of the following toy standard:
- EN 71-14:2018- Safety of toys - Part 14: Trampolines for domestic use.
The latest date by which it has to be implemented at national level is 30th June 2019.
It is expected that this standard would be harmonised under Directive 2009/48/EC for Safety of Toys after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Below a summary table with some recent standards updates and upcoming dates of withdrawal (non-exhaustive):
(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.
Reference |
Title |
Date of Withdrawal (*) |
Supersedes |
Child care articles - Bath tubs, stands and non-standalone bathing aids - Safety requirements and test methods. |
2019-06-30 |
- |
|
Child care articles - Wheeled child conveyances - Part 1: Pushchairs and prams. |
2019-12-31 |
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Child care articles - Wheeled child conveyances - Part 2: Pushchairs for children above 15 kg up to 22 kg. |
2019-06-30 |
|
Standards Updates
Below a summary table with some recent ASTM standards updates:
Reference |
Title |
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant and Infant/Toddler Rockers. |
|
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Bath Seats. |
|
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toddler Beds. |
|
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Floor Seats. |
|
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for High Chairs. |
New Standards Release
Below a summary table with some recent standards release (Non-exhaustive):
Reference |
Title |
Date of Release |
Date of Enforcement |
Supersedes |
GB/T 36922-2018 |
Determination of organophosphorous flame retardants in toys—Gas chromatography-mass spectrography method. |
2018-12-28 |
2018-12-28 |
Initial release |
Standards Updates
Below a summary table with some recent standards updates:
Reference |
Title |
Safety of toys -- Part 6: Certain phthalate esters in toys and children's products. |
Below you will find a monthly summary of product recalls and alerts in Europe (Source “RAPEX”) and in the US (Source “CPSC”).
Europe
RAPEX (European Commission Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products – Alerts reported by EU national authorities).
The following 55 alerts regarding Childcare articles, equipment and toys have been reported, from week 51 of 2018 until week 3 of 2019.
Type of Risk |
Number of alerts |
Notes |
Chemical |
24 |
Phthalates: Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-butyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP). |
Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs). |
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Toy slime and clay: high level of migration of Boron, barium and lead. |
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High level of lead in paint on toys and jewellery. |
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Button cell batteries: easily accessible. Not complying with Toy Safety Directive and standard EN 62115. |
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Choking |
25 |
Small parts. Not complying with EN 71-1. |
Soother can break generating small parts. |
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Cot: The buttons in the upholstery can be easily detached. |
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Key chains: due to their form, colour and size, the products may be mistaken for foodstuff and pose a choking hazard to children since they can be put in the mouth. |
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Fridge magnets: small magnet parts can be easily detached and pose a choking hazard to children since they can be put in the mouth. |
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Playpen: small parts. |
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Environment |
1 |
Packaging: high level of Cadmium in the PVC plastic. |
Injuries |
5 |
Toy cars with launcher: Kinetic energy too high. |
Pushchair: Not complying with EN 1888. |
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Toy: sharp edges and sharp points. Not complying with EN 71. |
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Wooden swing/ladder: While climbing up, a child may slip through the opening and remain stuck with the head. Not complying with EN 71-1 and 71-8. |
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Slime: Contains a small magnet with a high magnetic flux index. If a child swallows the small magnet and other metallic objects, they could attract one another causing intestinal blockage or perforation. |
From 21st December 2018 to 20th January 2019, CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has published the following recalls: 0 recalls regarding Childcare and children’s products.