BELGIUM JOINS THE NETHERLANDS AND DENMARK IN PVC TOY WARNING

Brussels - October 14, 1997

Greenpeace congratulated the Belgian Minister of Public Health, Marcel Colla, today for taking action to protect small children from soft PVC toys.

On October 3, Colla, referring to soft PVC toys which might be chewed by young children, urged toy retailers and the Belgian toy industry to "voluntarily discontinue marketing these products" and "insist on the urgent need to withdraw from the marketplace these soft PVC products containing phthalates."

"Greenpeace welcomes the Belgium Minister's decision but more must be done." stated Beverley Thorpe of Greenpeace International. "We urge all European governments who have recommended a voluntary withdrawal to make it binding. It should not be up to retailers to decide if children should be subjected to these leaking chemicals,"

Belgium is the third country to urge the toy industry to take action against soft PVC baby toys. In April and July respectively, the Danish and Dutch governments warned toy retailers, distributors and manufacturers of the potential hazards from soft PVC toys which, when sucked or chewed, can leach phthalate softeners.

The Dutch Ministry of Health tested soft PVC toys to determine softener levels and leaching rates. The tests showed that some of the toys leach phthalates at such a rate that 5-50% of all babies sucking or chewing on these toys would ingest more phthalates than what the Dutch government finds acceptable.

Greenpeace also conducted soft PVC toys analysis. Seventy-one toys from 17 countries were tested. Soft PVC toys contained 10-40% by weight of phthalate softeners.

At the end of July the European Commission issued an information alert to each European country on the possible risks to children from chewing on soft PVC teethers. (1) Greepeace has since requested more concrete action from the EU and is still awaiting response from Mr Bangemann, the EU Commissioner for Industrial Affairs who is in charge of toys regulations.

"European member states can legally withdraw these soft PVC toys off the market on their own, but we want also want action from the European Union to protect babies' health." added Thorpe. "Last summer the European Union officially recognized PVC plastic as a problem and stated they would address it. Calling for the withdrawal of soft PVC toys is the least they can do."

Beverly Thorpe, Greenpeace International, t. +31 20 52 36 222
Luisa Colasimone, Greenpeace Communication, t. +31 20 52 49 546

(1)The EU sent a rapid exchange of information on the issue of soft PVC teethers in July. Under Directive 92/59 on general product safety, information is frequently exchanged when "serious and immediate risk to the health and safety of consumers" may occur.

(2)In mid July, 1997 during discussions surrounding car take-back legislation, the EU Commission for the Environment announced PVC was recognized as a problem and that they would attempt to solve it via a 'horizontal approach' eg. not just in relation to car scrap waste. As quoted in Chemical Week of 16 July: "The European Commission is considering a total phaseout of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) throughout the European Union (EU). "Originally we discussed a phaseout of some PVC or a total phaseout of PVC in cars. We now recognize there are problems in other areas," commission environment directorate aide Peter Jorgensen tells CW. "I don't want to specify how or when [the phaseout will be implemented], but I can clearly confirm a strong commitment on the commission's side," he says.