EU COMMISSION SAYS SOFT PVC TOYS POSE SERIOUS AND IMMEDIATE RISK AND PROPOSES BAN - BUT FULL HEALTH PROTECTION NOT YET ESTABLISHED, WARNS GREENPEACE

10 November 1999

BRUSSELS -- Greenpeace welcomed today's proposal by the European Commission for both an emergency and a permanent ban of soft PVC teething toys for children under three years old. The emergency ban sets a precedent on product safety in Europe. It is the first time that the EU Commission proposes an emergency ban on the use of hazardous substances in consumer products (1).

"We applaud the European Commission for finally stating publicly that soft PVC teething toys are dangerous products that can cause adverse health effects from the softeners they contain and release," said Axel Singhofen, Greenpeace International Political Adviser in Brussels. "However, the proposed measures tackle the problem only half-heartedly - the new EU Commission failed to ensure full protection of the health of babies."

Both ban proposals would only cover the toys intended to be put into the mouth. All toys that are not meant for teething but are likely to end up in a child's mouth would merely be labelled 'to be kept out of mouth', a measure which could take 3-4 years to take effect. In addition, no immediate market withdrawal of the banned toys is foreseen in the EU Commission proposal. The only concession the EU Commission makes is to ask the Scientific Committee of Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment whether the ban should cover all toys for children under three.

"It does not take a rocket scientist to know that small children take all their toys into their mouth. The scientists have already stated that the phthalate softeners in soft PVC can cause liver, kidney and testicular damage and that they leach from all toys for children under three - what more can they say?" asks Singhofen (2). "And the proposal to label toys for babies with 'keep out of the mouth' is absurd - it is like labelling sunglasses 'should not be worn in the sun'", Singhofen added.

Greenpeace also strongly condemned the lack of a market withdrawal from the current proposals. A ban of future marketing alone would mean that all toys already on the market could continue to be sold. "Allowing the continued sale of products which are known to represent a serious risk to small children is utterly irresponsible. We call on the Member States and trade to ensure a full and immediate market withdrawal of all soft PVC toys for children under three. We do not want anymore hazardous soft PVC Christmas presents", Singhofen stressed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Axel Singhofen, EU Adviser, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaign, +32 2 280 1987, or mobile +32 476 953722
- Teresa Meriläinen, Press Officer, Greenpeace International, +31 20 5249545
- Lisa Finaldi, Greenpeace Toxcis Campaign, +1 919 828 5202

(1) The Commission's proposal now moves to the Product Safety Emergencies Committee of the Member States in two weeks time, possibly followed by a debate at Council level if no agreement can be reached in the committee.

(2) The EU first took up the issue of soft PVC toys in September 1997. The Scientific Committee of Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment of the Commission has issued five opinions since. It repeatedly confirmed the toxicity of the phthalate softeners, voiced health concerns due to their release rates, stressed that the tests to measure phthalate release rates from soft PVC toys as developed in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are unsuitable for regulatory purposes as they have poor reproducibility, that the use of certain alternative softeners cannot be supported, and pointed instead to alternative materials which do not require softeners.