Do you prefer used toys or a new one?

Used toys are potentially good for the environment and your wallet, but they can come from a time when dealing with some pollutants is even more lax. So should parents buy new gifts for Christmas instead of the old one?

Swedish scientists recently reported on a study of 157 used and new plastic toys in the “Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances”. Accordingly, 84 percent of second-hand toys contained harmful chemicals, including phthalate plasticizers and short-chain chlorinated paraffins.

“Older papers had significantly higher concentrations of toxicants,” says study leader Bethanie Carney Almroth. “For example, phthalate concentrations of 400 times the legal limit were found in most old balls.”

Filled with plasticizers banned today

In fact, caution is needed, especially with old toys made of soft plastic, says chemist Kerstin Effers of the NRW consumer advice centre. “For one simple reason: Banning certain hormone-damaging phthalates in toys only came into effect in the EU in 2005.”

There are always questions from parents who want to know if they can give away their old dolls. “When we asked, the manufacturers confirmed to us that they were using plasticizers that were forbidden at the time because it is still allowed and the knowledge about the risk is not that far off.”

But, as the example of Lego bricks shows, older hard plastics also have risks: British researchers’ results, a study published in 2018 in the journal “Environmental Science and Technology”, found that yellow and red blocks, in particular, were produced between 1960 and 1981 and were well below the current EU limit values. Products containing cadmium content have been produced.

Even new toys often exceed limit values

Effers says new toys don’t necessarily contain harmful ingredients. In fact, almost 30 percent of the new toys tested in the Swedish study exceeded the limit values ​​of EU guidelines. And for many substances that are new or added as substitutes, it is not yet clear whether they are dangerous and how dangerous they may be.

Effers says it’s important to examine both new and used toys with all your senses. This includes scanning for sharp edges or parts that could come loose and be swallowed. Attention should also be paid to conspicuous or unpleasant odors.

“There are also defects that do not necessarily pose a safety risk, but indicate that no quality control has been carried out,” the chemist continues. “If the print is crooked and the seams are crooked, so obvious mistakes can be made, then there was absolutely no care given to chemical management.”

Brand builders and social workshops are alternatives.

Such poorly made toys are often offered online by retailers outside the EU. Effers strongly advises against making a purchase. Attention should also be paid to toys where only one importer is given as the address. An alternative was offered by smaller brand manufacturers and social workshops that transparently disclosed what they made their dolls, bears and stuffed animals from.

In addition, the various seals offer a decision-making aid that is rare in the toy industry. One of them is the GS mark for “tested safety”. When it comes to fabric toys, Effers says, consumers can also look for good textile labels like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).

Limits for aluminum and formaldehyde release

CE marking is meaningless regarding the safety of a toy: “It is just a declaration by the manufacturer that it complies with European law, but they do not have to prove it through an independent third party. Party tests.” The certification date is also important for all markings: Some phthalate plasticizers were restricted in toys in the EU only in 2005.

Since May 2021, stricter limits have been in place for the release of aluminum and formaldehyde, and from December of this year for the release of the carcinogenic pigment aniline. In the end, it remains a dilemma, according to Effers: “On the one hand, we recommend using things for a long time to conserve resources and not produce too much waste. On the other hand, it can be a bit difficult, especially when it comes to toys.” (dpa)