Survey of Chemical Substances in Consumer Products, No. 84 2007 – Survey as well as health assessment of chemical substances in school bags, toy bags, pencil cases and erasers

Survey as well as health assessment of chemical substances in school bags, toy bags, pencil cases and erasers

1 Introduction

1.1 Preface
1.2 Purpose
1.3 Approach

1.1 Preface

School bags and similar bags for children are found in numerous variants and often in very colourful versions. Most often these bags are made of textiles and/or plastics materials. In many cases these plastic materials are PVC with a variable amount of among other things phthalates, colouring agents, perfluorinated compounds, flame retardants, UV stabilizers and volatile compounds.

School bags, toy bags, pencil cases and erasers are used by children at many ages and it is possible that very small children at the age of 0-3 years also get in direct contact with these products. Some products, such as erasers designed as fruits or food with related smell (strawberry smell etc.) may risk ending in the mouth of even the smallest children. To a great extent these products address to children and in many cases they get into direct skin contact during use.

Many of the products emit a chemical smell, especially when they are quite new. The chemical smell might come from a number of solvents such as benzene, styrene and cyclohexanone.

The products are covered by the product safety law and a few substances may be covered by application limitation statutory orders. Products that are toys are also covered by the toys directive.

The soft plastic types may contain one or several kinds of phthalates used as plasticizers. A study published on Greenpeace homepage called Chemikaze Shopping mentions that school accessories such as school bags, drinking bottles and pencil cases, bought in various airports, contain considerable amounts of phthalates. They found DEHP in concentrations up to 23% in a Batman drinking bottle. Therefore, a study of possible content of phthalates is included in this project.

Phase 1: Survey of the market

A survey of the types of products available on the Danish market is carried out. It is also investigated which materials the products are made of or which materials being in the products as well as which age group these products refer to.

Phase 2: Qualitative and quantitative analysis

The following analyses are carried out:

Screening analysis at FT-IR for determination of the materials which the product is made of as well as for phthalates and to some extent inorganic colouring agents.
Beilstein test for detection of the presence of Cl (chlorine) for identification of PVC and thus suspicion of phthalates.
Quantitative determination of phthalates in a large amount of erasers and migration to artificial saliva for a single eraser.
Quantitative analysis for elements by XRF.
Quantitative determination of selected metals in extracts by ICP.
Semi-quantitative analysis of which substances that may be emitted to the air by headspace analysis combined with GC-MS.
UV-VIS analysis for detection of certain colouring agents.
Quantitative analysis of which substances being emitted to artificial sweat at GC-MS.
Analysis for perfluorinated compounds.

Phase 3: Health assessment

Health assessment of relevant chemical substances in school bags, toy bags, pencil cases and erasers as well as preparation of exposure scenarios.

1.2 Purpose

The purpose of the project is to survey the market for school bags, toy bags, pencil cases and erasers including which product types being on the market, the scope of the consumption in Denmark as well as which materials being used for production. The project has focused on whether these products emit chemical substances and if so whether the use of these products can be critical to health.

The project includes a survey of constituents and possible emission of substances such as phthalates, heavy metals, perfluorinated compounds, colouring agents and other problematic substances from product to consumer. A health assessment of the emitted substances has also been carried out.

1.3 Approach

The project is divided into three fazes.

1. A market survey of school bags, toy bags, pencil cases and erasers including a survey of which types being on the market. Based on literature, data sheets and business contacts, a survey of which chemical substances being used in such products is carried out. Emphasis is especially on perfluorinated compounds, volatiles, heavy metals, plasticizers and possibly flame retardants.

2. For selected products, the above-mentioned analyses under phase 2 have been completed.

3. Selection of products in co-operation with the Danish EPA for health assessment and relevant exposure scenarios, including a survey whether the substances are absorbed through the skin.