The EU’s toy directive does not adequately protect children from exposure to carcinogens, the German consumer health watchdog Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR, Berlin; www.bfr.bund.de) believes. The government risk assessment institute says the limits for exposure to CMR (carcogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic) substances as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are too high. In a revised version of the directive BfR would like to see “ALARA” (as low as reasonably achievable) standards consequently applied.

A number of the PAH substances used to process rubber or elastomers into toys are regarded as carcinogens. They find their way into the end product through such processing aids as plasticiser oils and carbon blacks. BfR notes that the technology for achieving lower PAH content is already available. Several chemical companies that manufacture rubber or rubber processing aids, including Evonik and Lanxess, have announced recently that they are converting to safer alternatives, as new EU regulations on maximum PAH levels in tyres take effect in January 2010.

As BfR sees it, EU regulation of PAH in toys should focus on the expected level of migration and use the same parameters as those for food contact products. It argues that PAH should not even be traceable in toys, as children are more sensitive and the incidence of cancer in this segment of the population has risen over the past few years.