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EU Strengthens Chromium (VI) Migration in Certain Toy Materials

SafeGuardSMay 23, 2018

The EU has strengthened the migration limit for chromium (VI) in scraped-off toy materials, approximately 4-fold. The new restrictions will become effective on November 18, 2019.

In September 2017, we informed you [1] that the European Union (EU) was proposing to strengthen the migration limit for chromium (VI) in scraped-off toy materials falling under Directive 2009/48/EC, the so-called European Toy Safety Directive (TSD [2]).    

On May 17, 2018, the EU published Directive (EU) 2018/725 [3] in the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU) to strengthen the migration limit for chromium (VI) in scraped-off toy materials approximately 4-fold. This new piece of legislation amends Annex II to the TSD as an adaptation to technical progress (ATP). It is interesting to note that this new Directive has retained the existing migration limits for chromium (VI) in dry, brittle, powder-like or pliable toy materials, and liquid or sticky toy materials.

According to the Directive, member states are obliged to transpose the Directive into their national laws by November 17, 2019.

The new restrictions will become effective on November 18, 2019.

Highlights of chromium (VI) migration limits falling under Directive (EU) 2018/725 and the TSD are summarized in Table 1.

Migration Limit for Chromium (VI) in Toy Material (mg/kg)
Category I
(Dry, brittle, powder-like or pliable)
Category II
(Liquid or sticky) 
Category III
(Scraped-off) 
Effective Date
TSD0.020.0050.2July 2013
Directive (EU) 2018/7250.020.0050.053November 18, 2019
Strengthened by approximately----------4-fold

Table 1

 

Definitions

CategoryToy MaterialExample
IDry, brittle, powder-like or pliable
  • Chalk, compressed paint tablets, crayons, plaster of Paris, magic sand, modeling compounds and plasticine
  • Oven hardened PVC modeling compounds and bouncing putties
IILiquid or sticky toys
  • Bubble solutions, finger paints, liquid adhesives, poster paints and slimes
IIIScraped-off
  • Ceramics, glass, metals and metal alloys, textiles and wood
  • Elastomers, leatherettes, polymers and surface coating materials
  • Other materials such as bones, leather and natural sponges

Table 2

Next step:

Stakeholders are advised to comply with the latest requirements for toys for the EU market.

SGS offers a wide range of services to ensure that your products comply with the EU Toy Safety Directive. We offer training, safety/risk assessment, technical documentation check, labelling review, testing according to harmonized standards, SVHC screening, inspections and audits. With the largest global network of toy experts and testing facilities around the world - around 20 toy labs worldwide including 3 EU Notified Bodies (France, Germany and Netherlands), SGS is the partner to trust. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or visit our website

For enquiries, please contact:

Hingwo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
t: +852 2774 7420

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