PVC TOYS: RETAILERS TAKE ACTION WHILE THE EUROPEAN UNION STILL FAILS TO PROTECT CHILDREN'S HEALTH

Brussels, Belgium 21 October 1997

Retailers in Belgium have joined the growing number of European retailers and national public authorities taking action to restrict the sale of soft PVC toys for children under 3 years. Despite the potential hazard that these products represent for children's health, the European Union Industry Commissioner Martin Bangemann, responsible for toy safety, has failed to reply to Greenpeace letters alerting him to the problem, let alone take regulatory action (1).

Last week FEDIS, the Belgian Federation representing distribution sectors, wrote to the Belgian Government saying they had decided to take precautionary action and immediately withdraw from their shelves all soft PVC products designed to be chewed by young children (2). The retailers' action follows a request from the Belgian Government to "voluntarily discontinue marketing these products" (3).

In the meanwhile, technical experts from EU member states will meet tomorrow (4) to discuss methods of testing soft PVC to determine the rate at which additives leach out. Soft PVC plastic needs additives (for example softeners such as phthalates) to make it flexible. Greenpeace has written to the Committee to point out that such tests are not a reliable indication of children's exposure to these chemicals from toys. As PVC inevitably leaches any of these additives, the most reliable method is to measure the total content of hazardous substances. According to the environmental organisation, regulation should be targetted at soft PVC itself, not at the potentially numerous additives and contaminants in PVC.

"Greenpeace welcomes the initiative of the Belgian retailers. Now the EU Commission needs to take the lead to ensure that soft PVC toys for children are taken off the shelves immediately in all EU countries, and that regulations are amended to ban them permanently", said Madeleine Cobbing of Greenpeace. "Children throughout the EU cannot afford to wait for businesses and individual authorities alone to restrict the sale of these products and protect them from this unnecessary and avoidable hazard".

Although the action taken by the Belgian retailers is encouraging, other companies, notably toy manufacturers Mattel and Hasbro, are refusing to acknowledge the problem and withdraw soft PVC toys.

Greenpeace first drew attention to the problem by releasing a report showing that soft PVC toys for children, such as teethers, contain up to 40% by weight of softening chemical additives known as phthalates (5). Independent laboratory tests conducted on animals show that phthalates are toxic, with health effects ranging from liver and kidney damage to reproductive abnormalities (6).

In a separate move last Friday, Anita Ringstroem, Deputy Director General of the Association for Swedish Chemical Industries, stated "I cannot defend such uses of PVC" referring to the use of soft PVC in babies' products. She added that there is no need for a full risk assessment study to be conducted (7).

"The EU cannot make the excuse that a complete risk assessment is necessary before taking action when the health of babies is at stake - even the chemical industry seems to be taking the precautionary principle seriously on this issue", said Dr David Santillo, Staff Scientist for Greenpeace International, of Exeter University (UK). "Enough is known about the way that hazardous additives leak out of soft PVC products to take precautionary action on PVC itself".

David Santillo, Exeter University, t. +44 1392 263 917

NOTES

1. On 29-September-1997, Greenpeace wrote to the European Commissioners for Industrial Affairs, the Environment, Consumer Policy, Science /Research and Social Affairs, setting out the problem. Written questions have been asked by Hiltrud Breyer, Member of the European Parliament as early as July 1997, none of which have been replied to. back to text

2. Letter to Marcel Colla, Public Health Federal Minister, Belgium, 16-October-1997. back to text

3. 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. back to text

4. Meeting of the Committee of Product Safety Emergencies, under Directive on General Product Safety, 92/59. back to text

5. Greenpeace Research Laboratories, Determination of the composition and Quantity of Phthalate Ester Additives in PVC Children's Toys, Technical Note 06/97, September 1997 back to text

6. Aristech (1995) Aristech Chemical Corporation Material Safety Data sheet C1084E. Product code 1546: Diisononyl phthalate.// European Chemicals Bureau (1996) IUCLID: International Uniform Chemical Information Database. Existing Chemicals - 1996. Edition 1. // Kemi (1994) Phthalic acid esters used as plastic additives. Publ: Swedish National Chemicals Inspectorate; report 12/94, ISSN 0248 - 1185 // USEPA (1991) Subchronic (4-week) dietary oral toxicity study with di(isononyl) phthalate in B6C3F1 mice (final report) with cover sheet dated 05.29.91. Hazelton Laboratories, Washington. EPA/OTS Doc #86-910000793 // USEPA (1992) 13-week subchronic dietary oral toxicity study with di(isononyl) phthalate in mice, with cover letter dated 07.06.92 and attachments: supplement. American College of Veterinary Pathology. EPA / OTS Doc #89-920000303. back to text

7. In reply to questions at a seminar on Chemicals, Environment and Human Health, organised by the Swedish Ministry of the environment on 17-October-1997 in Brussels. back to text