Fragrances Allergy danger through children's toys

Fragrances in children's toys: Federal agency warns of allergy risk and calls for stricter limit values

04/16/2012

The limit values ​​for chemical fragrances in children's products such as dolls and teddy bears are too high, reports the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin. The substances contained in children's toys can cause allergies, say the experts. The children suffer for a lifetime from the added disease.

The perfumes in dolls and teddies irritate not only the senses but also the skin and mucous membranes. They should encourage the purchase of toys and expose the children to significant health hazards. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, the limit values ​​are significantly exceeded. The experts urge the toy manufacturers to reduce the substances they contain. At the EU level, finite new limit values ​​must be created, so again the demand of the BfR.

In each nursery of boys and girls cuddly toys or children's cars are available. They serve as a transitional object, help falling asleep, comfort when cold or longing torment or are just used for playing. The current risk warning of the BfR is likely to scare most parents. In cuddly toys, children's cars, dolls, board games or teddy bears can be contained virtually unnecessary fragrance ingredients that can trigger so-called contact allergies in some of the children playing. The allergies persist with the affected children for a lifetime, as a spokesperson for the Risk Institute explained.

Prohibition of chemical substances in toys for toddlers demanded
To prevent children from being at risk for health, toys declared for children under the age of three should not contain fragrances. „Especially in the first three years toddlers explore the world with all your senses. They look with their eyes, feel with their hands and taste with their mouths“, reports Gritli Bertram, social worker from Hannover. The children put everything they get their hands in the mouth. Although the Federal Institute calls for a complete ban on artificial fragrances in toys for toddlers, however, the corresponding legal provisions are not yet provided. Therefore, according to the educator, parents should „rather put on toys with the organic seal, then no chemistry may be used“.

Toys for older children may contain fragrances according to the risk assessors of the BfR. However, here is the prescribed limit of 100 milligrams per kilo of material for certain substances „way to high“ stated. Therefore, the competent Commission of the European Union (EU) should aim for a limit of 10 milligrams per kilo of toys, according to the recommendation of the BfR. As early as April 2010, the German federal authority issued this advice to the EU. To date, however, the legal regulations have not changed, murine the experts. Therefore, set now on the second push.

2500 different artificial fragrances in toys
The toy manufacturers use a total of 2500 different fragrances. Some of these substances can trigger skin allergies on multiple contact. The allergies are clearly recognizable by symptoms such as itching, redness, blisters and inflammation. „The children suffer from the allergy for a lifetime“, so the warning of the BfR. Because the chronic disease is not curable at today's level of knowledge. Only the symptoms as such can be treated, but not the cause. The EU Directive on toys therefore already bans 55 allergenic substances. For eleven other allergy fragrances, only limits apply. For the latter, the BfR wants to achieve a complete ban on toddler toys and see the limit for older children reduced tenfold.

Fragrance ingredients should encourage you to buy
Most fragrances are artificially made from chemicals. For the toys they fulfill no practical purpose, except to animate the viewer to buy, says Miriam Ewald, spokeswoman for the BfR. In the course of a study by Danish scientists, the testers found out that seven out of ten children's toys contain fragrances. Most chemicals hide in erasers, highlighters, paper, soap bubbles or balls. The ingredients of the mixtures reached between 32 and 5500 milligrams per kilogram of children's toys. In part, the researchers found in 2006 highly allergenic perfume mixtures, so Ewald.

more „more frequently and more intensively a child comes into contact with allergenic substances, the higher the probability that a contact allergy develops“, explains the BfR spokeswoman. The sooner the children come in contact with the fabrics, „the more problematic it is“. Physicians assume that at least two percent of all children who come into contact with the substances mentioned develop a life-long allergy. Of children who are already in treatment due to skin diseases in clinics, even twelve percent.

Nickel directive could be implemented
However, the experts of the Risk Institute were able to achieve a small success. In April 2010, they had required guidelines for nickel in toys. This recommendation has been implemented at EU level. Although not a complete ban, after all, but the required limits were reached. Nickel is found in children's jewelry and metal patches of clothing items. Ten percent of children react by exposure to a nickel allergy. Whether the limits in practice led to lower contact allergies and whether the industry complies with the border guidelines, the BfR could give no information. „Better to put on natural toys“, so the conclusion of Bertram. (Sb)

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Picture: Helene Souza