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Survey of chemical substances in toys for animals
2 Survey
2.1 Market survey
2.1.1 Internet
The internet was used for screening to find out what types of products of toys for animals are sold in Denmark. This was done by visiting net shops selling toys for animals and websites for vets and pet
dealers. The same types of toys for animals were sold by the different dealers.
Also different searching machines were used, i.e. Krak and The Yellow Pages, to search for wholesalers, manufacturers and dealers.
Information from Statistics Denmark's was also found by the internet.
2.1.2 Wholesalers
A number of wholesalers were contacted by phone, and subsequently they received a questionnaire. Only very few wholesalers responded to the questionnaires; many questionnaires were not replied to and
some wholesalers did not want to participate in the survey.
Therefore it is not possible to get an overview of the extent of the Danish import of toys for animals. The wholesalers who responded to the questionnaire use other wholesalers abroad, and have no direct
contact to the manufacturers.
Contact with the wholesalers also showed that exactly the same product can be sold under several brand names. This happens because some wholesalers pack the toys themselves and with their own names.
One wholesaler informed that he required information on the content of harmful substances from the suppliers of toys for animals. The wholesaler has analyses made of the toys continuously, and put forward
reports on the content of phthalates and heavy metals.
2.1.3 Manufacturers
No manufacturers of toys for animals were found in Denmark. Most of the toys are made in China. Hong Kong also have a production, and one of the brands found in the Danish market is produced in the
USA. For a number of products it was not possible to get information on the place of origin.
2.1.4 Visits to dealers
By searching The Yellow Pages at the internet more than 400 pet dealers were found. Eight pet dealers and two supermarkets were visited. The types of toy sold with the different dealers are very similar
and are identical with the types found in net shops and with vets with websites.
The products which can be bought in the shops have very little or no information on the materials. In the few products with this information the materials found are
latex, vinyl, rubber or plush.
Other information found on certain products can be summarised as follows:
- May not be used by children
- Not poisonous
- Do not let the animal play alone
- If this toy is broken, it must be removed from the animal
- Do not eat
In approximately half of the products with attached information, this information was not in Danish. The toys were marketed for animals and therefore not comprehended by any particular regulations, and
none of it was CE marked which may have indicated that it was meeting the requirements in the Toys Directive.
2.1.5 Products in the Danish market
A very large part of the products found in the Danish market can be split into the following groups:
- Plush toys: Available with or without sound. The toy looks like various teddy bears in plenty of colours. The plush toys have an appearance similar to plush toys for children.
- Whistling toys: Available in either latex or vinyl. The whistling toys look like animals or food, i.e. hotdogs. Whistling toys very much remind of toys for small children (zero to three years old) and rubber
beach toys and toy food, which are also used by older children.
- Tennis balls: Available in several sizes and various colours.
- Balls: Available in many sizes and materials with or without sound. The balls are colourful. The balls look like balls for children.
- Activity balls: Balls with a hole to fill with titbits. The balls are colourful and look like balls for children
- Mice: There are mice in many different materials with or without sound and mechanical movement. It is taken for granted that the mice will appeal to children.
- Ropes: There are many ropes in colourful cotton in the market, but also ropes in other materials. Ropes are not spontaneously mistaken for toys for children, and are not expected to appeal much to
children.
- Retriever trestles: Produced in wood, plastic and textiles. Retriever trestles are not spontaneously mistaken for toys for children, and are not expected to appeal much to children.
2.1.6 Purchasing of products
Fifty different toys for dogs and cats were purchased. They were bought as twenty-two different brands; three products had not been branded. The products were bought with six different dealers. No
products were bought over the internet, as none of these products could not be found with the retailers.
The price for the purchased toys was between 10 and 100 DKK. The average price was 28 DKK.
The criteria for selecting the toys are stated in section 1.2.
The products are anonymised in the report and listed in Table 2.1 with description of what "they look like", and the materials they are made of. Further, the information stated on the packing/product on
material and instructions/warnings is shown in Appendix A, Product information.
TABLE 2.1.
| FORCE no. |
Item |
Description |
| Toy 1 |
Pink rabbit, whistling |
Soft plastic / rubber
Approximately 11 cm
|
| Toy 2 |
Man, whistling |
Soft plastic
Approximately 13 cm
|
| Toy 3 |
Hippopotamus |
Textile
Approximately 15 cm
|
| Toy 4 |
Broad ring |
Hard plastic
Approximately 5 cm wide
Approximately 25 cm in diameter
|
| Toy 5 |
Ball |
Look like artificial leather
Approximately 9 cm i diameter
|
| Toy 6 |
Rope with knots |
Rope in colours
Approximately 20 cm
|
| Toy 7 |
French loaf, whistling |
Soft plastic
Approximately 40 cm
|
| Toy 8 |
Mechanical mouse |
Textile, eyes and nose of hard plastic
Approximately 10 cm
|
| Toy 9 |
Tennis ball |
Tennis ball, yellow/orange
Approximately 8 cm
|
| Toy 10 |
Ball with bell |
Melted plastic pearls
Approximately 6 cm
|
| Toy 11 |
Ball with soft quills |
Soft plastic, purple
Approximately 4 cm
|
| Toy 12 |
Pig |
Soft plastic
Approximately 15 cm
|
| Toy 13 |
Mouse with ball and feather |
Soft + hard plastic + fur
Approximately 12 cm
|
| Toy 14 |
Crocodile, whistling |
Soft plastic, green
Approximately 15 cm
|
| Toy 15 |
Sheep, whistling |
Soft plastic, feet painted
Approximately 20 cm
|
| Toy 16 |
Head of animal with long "arms" with rope |
Textile and rope
Head approximately 10 cm
|
| Toy 17 |
Hollow ball with hole for titbits |
Hard plastic
Approximately 8 cm
|
| Toy 18 |
Pig with plush pants, whistling |
Soft plastic + textile
Approximately 15 cm
|
| Toy 19 |
Shrimps of pearls |
Soft plastic, eyes hard plastic
Approximately 5 cm
|
| Toy 20 |
Fire hydrant with metal bell inside |
Soft plastic, red
Approximately 11 cm
|
| Toy 21 |
Rubber cactus, whistling |
Soft plastic
Approximately 13 cm
|
| Toy 22 |
Rubber ball |
Soft plastic, blue
Approximately 6 cm
|
| Toy 23 |
Ball with a strap |
Soft ball, look like artificial leather
Approximately 13 cm
|
| Toy 24 |
Foam rubber ball |
Soft ball
Approximately 10 cm
|
| Toy 25 |
Plastic balls with metal bells |
Hard plastic
Approximately 4 cm
|
| Toy 26 |
Shoe, whistling |
Soft plastic
Approximately 13 cm
|
| Toy 27 |
Cow |
Soft plastic
Approximately 14 cm
|
| Toy 28 |
Stick with string and mouse |
Fur mouse approximately 10 cm
Stick approximately 0.5 m
|
| Toy 29 |
Ball with hole for titbits |
Hard ball
Approximately 6 cm
|
| Toy 30 |
Cat with rope |
Soft plastic
Approximately 14 cm
|
| Toy 31 |
Plush turtle with egg |
Textile
Approximately 30 cm
|
| Toy 32 |
Plush mouse |
Textile
Approximately 30 cm
|
| Toy 33 |
Dog |
Soft plastic
Approximately 20 cm
|
| Toy 34 |
Ball of rubber ring |
Rubber, many colours
Approximately 10 cm
|
| Toy 35 |
2 small plush cats |
Textile
Approximately 5 cm
|
| Toy 36 |
Plush/rubber telephone |
Rubber front
Reverse made of textile
Approximately 15 cm
|
| Toy 37 |
Girl doll |
Textile
Approximately 20 cm
|
| Toy 38 |
Spider with string |
Soft plastic/rubber
Approximately 10 cm
|
| Toy 39 |
Fur mouse |
Fur
Approximately 10 cm
|
| Toy 40 |
Soft dog with hard middle |
Approximately 16 cm |
| Toy 41 |
Porcupine, whistling |
Soft plastic
Approximately 7 cm
|
| Toy 42 |
"Rustling" mouse |
Plastic strips
Approximately 8 cm
|
| Toy 43 |
2 fur mice |
Fur
Approximately 6 cm
|
| Toy 44 |
Rat, whistling |
Soft plastic
Approximately 16 cm
|
| Toy 45 |
Plush porcupine |
textile / plush
Approximately 12 cm
|
| Toy 46 |
Black tyre |
Soft rubber
Approximately 16 cm
|
| Toy 47 |
Retriever stick |
"Oblong tennis ball"
Approximately 22 cm
|
| Toy 48 |
"Ball with four handles" |
Soft plastic
Approximately 20 cm
|
| Toy 49 |
Hollow ball with hole for titbits |
Hard plastic
Approximately 13 cm
|
| Toy 50 |
Rubber snowman |
Hard rubber
Approximately 9 cm
|
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Version 1.0 June 2005, © Danish Environmental Protection Agency
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