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Mapping of perfume in toys and children's articles
10 Discussion
10.1 Toys with fragrances
This investigation has identified 15 different product types for children which have been marketed as containing scent.
The market changes constantly and several of the products are only available on the market in a very short period of time (under 6 months). Five of the products that were identified at the start of the
investigation are no longer available on the market in their original form. Today, the products are only available in a variant without scent.
It has not been possible to provide any data that shed light on the size of the market for toys and children's articles containing fragrances.
The market for toys changes all the time and new product types frequently occur. New products available on the market today may not have been available at the time of the investigation.
10.2 Ingredient substances in toys
The identified products have undergone preliminary screenings to assess the ingredient substances qualitatively and subsequently select the products for detailed analysis.
10.2.1 Content of sensitizing fragrances
The analyses of the 24 specific fragrances, considered sensitizing by EU's Scientific Committee on Cosmetics (SCCNFP 1999), have shown that 18 of these substances are available on the Danish market in
products for children. 7 of the 10 analyzed products, viz. D01, D04, D06, D08 (red and yellow variant), D12 and D15, contained between 2 and 9 of the 24 fragrances.
The product D12 has now been removed from the market and is only available in unscented versions at the Danish market.
Analyses have also been conducted for two other fragrances that are not on the EU list; oakmoss and treemoss. None of these two substances have been detected in the 10 tested products or in the 18
products from the screening test.
10.2.2 Content of other chemicals
Screening for ingredient substances in 10 selected products has demonstrated a content of many different chemical substances, including organic solvents, fragrances and phthalates.
Four of the products for children below the age of three years have been selected for migration analysis in order to test if the substances can migrate from the toys via the sweat of the child to be absorbed by
the skin. The migration analysis has been conducted for products D09, D12, D14 and D15. The analyses have shown that substances from all four products can be liberated to sweat. The concentrations of
the liberated substances are, however, relatively low, except for tris(2-chlorethyl)phosphate that has been demonstrated in a relatively high concentration from product D12. The substance was probably
added to act as a flame retardant in the foamed plastics that the product contains.
7 of the products have been tested for emission of volatile substances to the air. All 7 products liberate volatile, organic components in varying concentrations, mainly organic solvents and fragrances besides
the 26 analyzed fragrances. Especially products D02 and D08 liberate a large number of volatile, organic substances.
10.3 Health conditions when using toys with fragrances
The results of the tests for migration and emission have been used for estimating if there can be any adverse health effects when playing with the tested products.
Exposure scenarios have been made and calculations have been carried out for potential skin absorption and inhalation of the 10 selected chemical substances. The substances were selected on the basis of
their harmful effects and a relatively high emission or migration.
10.3.1 Health conditions during migration
Calculations have been made for the potential skin absorption in a typical exposure situation with one chemical substance, viz. tris(2-chlorethyl)-phosphate, that has been demonstrated during migration from
product D12. The substance is on the list of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency of unwanted substances and is undergoing a risk assessment by EU. The substances are classified as Xn;R22
Carc3;R40 N;R51/53 on the list of dangerous substances.
The calculations of skin absorption show that the substance can be absorbed in quantities which gives reason to assess that there may be a risk of harmful effects when playing with this product. However, it
has to be stressed that this is provided that the entire available quantity is liberated at the same time. The product is no longer available on the Danish marked.
The substance was probably added to avoid flame spread in case the product catches fire. In Denmark, it is, however, not usual that flame retardants are added to consumer products that are not
intentionally exposed to high temperatures or are not heated like for instance electronic equipment, including televisions.
It is more appropriate to avoid that children play near to open fire than to add flame retardants to toys and children's articles.
The results may therefore lead to a recommendation to the producers, importers and suppliers of the importance of obtaining information about the content of toys and children's articles including possible
flame retardants, perfumes and other chemical substances.
10.3.2 Health conditions at emission of volatile, organic components
7 of the selected products have been analyzed during emission tests to estimate the liberation of volatile, organic components (VOC). The different products are for both small children below the age of three
years and for older children.
The emission tests show that a number of volatile, organic compounds are liberated from the toys, especially fragrances and organic solvents.
At first glance, the concentrations from the test results look high. The test was conducted in a container with a small volume. When data from the emission tests are converted to realistic situations, the
concentrations of most of the substances in the air around the child are, however, relatively low. This applies to 8 of the selected substances. The concentration in the air around the child will thus be low for
the substances tert-butanol, n-butylacetate, cyclohexanon, hexane, methyletylketone, methylisobutylketone and toluene liberated from the products. The Margin of Safety (MOS) factors for these substances
vary from 5,300 to 1,700,000.
Ethylbenzene is liberated from product in concentrations that may cause adverse effects. Converted to realistic situations, the concentration in the inhalation air is close to the lower effect limit for harmful
effects. The liberation of xylenes from this product is also close to the lower effect limit for effects at inhalation. This product is no longer available on the Danish market.
However, it has to be noted that the emission test only has been made once and for new products in original packaging. The time interval from production to purchase is unknown. However, it must be
expected that the emission rate decreases as a function of time upon unpacking, meaning that the measured concentration will probably be short.
The substance butylglycol is liberated from product D02 in a concentration that may cause odour nuisances. However, there are no adverse effects involved at the concentration in which the substance
butylglycol occurs.
Volatile, organic components from the other products, viz. D04, D08, D09, D14 and D15, are liberated in concentrations that are not assessed to cause any inconvenience or adverse effects.
10.3.3 Toys with soft plastic parts
One of the analyzed products (D14) contains phthalates in a concentration of 7.3 %. As the product is intended for children below the age of three years, it must at a maximum contain 0.05 % phthalates
according to the order on classification and marking ((Ministerial Order no 151). Two of the other products are also undergoing a supplementary analysis for the content of phthalates. The results are
reported separately.
10.3.4 Legislation on toys
Toys are regulated by the Council Directive 88/378/EØF on about mutual approximation of the member states to the legislation about safety requirements for toys; converted into Danish legislation in
Ministerial Order no 1116 of 12 December 2003. The directive does, however, not deal with hazardous substances and unwanted substances in toys.
A special order applies to the content of phthalates in toys. The content of phthalates must not exceed 0.05 % in toys and other articles intended for children below the age of three years (Ministerial Order
no 151). There are at present no rules when it comes to content of phthalates in toys for children older than three years. But new rules have been decided and are expected to come into force within a year.
Children can therefore be exposed to phthalates when they have passed the age of three years. Children are generally a very vulnerable group - also when they are older than three years. Furthermore,
children and adults can be exposed to phthalates in the environment and from other products and building materials.
There is no application limitation for the fragrances. Many of the fragrances are on the preliminary list of flavouring agents that are allowed in food. At present, the substances on this list are undergoing a
health assessment. A new positive list for flavouring agents is expected in 2006 (the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration 2004).
Children can therefore be exposed to sensitizing fragrances from other products than toys, including food, cosmetics and nature.
10.4 Recommendations when purchasing and playing with toys
In summary, the results of the investigation lead to a number of recommendations to consumers and producers, suppliers and importers of toys and children's articles containing fragrance and flavour.
Recommendations to consumers:
- Buy toys without fragrances.
- Unpack the product some time before use, if it has an odour, it should be placed in a ventilated area before given to the child for play
- When a toy is bought for children under the age of three, it should be labelled "for children less than 3 years".
Recommendations to producers, suppliers and importers of toys and children's articles:
- Avoid the use of flame retardants in toys in case there is no real risk that the product catches fire and/or make demands on sub-suppliers that the products are not containing any flame retardants.
- Minimize the use of volatile organic substances in toys and children's articles.
- Always obtain documentation from the producers about the content of chemical substances in toys.
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Version 1.0 March 2006, © Danish Environmental Protection Agency
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