Denmark to ban hazardous chemicals in toys

[Alan Watson <alanwatson@gn.apc.org>]

More on the recent post by Charlie:

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Denmark to ban hazardous chemicals in toys 
ENDS Daily - 03/12/97 
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Danish environment minister Svend Auken has asked the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to draft legislation 
to ban the use of hazardous substances in toys.  He 
specifically referred to the use of phthalate plasticisers 
and heavy metals such as lead, both of which are found in 
toys made of PVC.  Mr Auken's action follows the EPA's 
findings earlier this year that phthalates in some soft PVC 
teething rings leach from the toys at high rates when 
sucked (ENDS Daily 28 May).  Several EU governments have 
since called on toy retailers to withdraw soft PVC toys and 
environmental group Greenpeace has mounted an intensive 
campaign to have all PVC toys banned (ENDS Daily 1 
December).  Recently, Mr Auken also pointed out that 
legally permitted lead levels in toys are higher than those 
allowed in some other applications.  In a newspaper 
interview yesterday, Mr Auken announced that he plans to 
contact the European Commission to ask it to draft EU-wide 
legislation to ban the use of hazardous substances in toys.  
Mr Auken has also said he wants the Danish toy industry to 
consider a voluntary agreement to cease imports of toys 
containing hazardous substances.  A spokesman for the 
Danish Toys Association said it has requested an early 
meeting with Mr Auken and EPA officials. 
 
Contacts:  Danish Environmental Protection Agency 
(http://www.mst.dk/depa/index.htm), tel: +45 32 66 01 00. 
 

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