Testing confirms that toys sold on the EU market still contain chemicals of concern

WECF releases results of tests made on 29 toys sold in the Netherlands, France and Germany. Even if not representative of the global toys market, the tests give information on some of the hazardous chemicals which can be found in toys placed on the EU market. The road towards healthy toys still seems to be long.
To learn more, read WECF press release here.

WECF France and WECF the Netherlands organise Toys Events in November

A toys testing action on 16th November in Paris
Toys should not contain chemicals of concern that can be harmful to children’s health. To investigate the presence of brominated flame retardants, formaldehyde, benzene and other chemicals of concern in toys, WECF France organizes a toys testing action on November 16th in Paris.
Parents, children and all people willing to participate are invited to bring their toys and have them tested. Raising concerns about electromagnetic fields in toys will also be addressed.  The event is organized with the support of Quad-Lab laboratory. Read more

The First Dutch Ever Toys Convention on November 10 in Utrecht
The convention will be an informative and interactive afternoon attended by (concerned) parents, toy manufacturers, retailers, politicians, childcare workers, etc. In short, stakeholders, just like you.
Speakers and audience will collectively prepare  questions and statements which national and European parliamentarians can take with them.  During the convention everyone is invited to bring their toys and have them tested. Read more

EECCA NGO Appeal on toys safety

After the discussion between the NGOs and EU presidency on key issues of the Environment for Europe process on 23 September 2011 in Astana, EECCA NGO made an appeal to national governments of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia region with the request to ensure toxic free toys.

The appeal was signed by 211 organisations  and 1500 individuals from all EECCA countries as well as from the South-East Asia, Mexico, Canada, the United States of America, and Germany. Read more

Seminar in Skopje "Journalists workshop for toy's safety"

Journalists for Children and Women Rights and Environmental Protection, a Macedonian NGO and partner of WECF, orgnised a seminar on toys safety on May 27 2011.

The Info Centre of the Delegation of the European Commission in Skopje was the location where participants and journalists from all types of media gathered. The seminar was organised as part of the “Product and Chemical Safety in the Balkans“ project. The event was visited by journalists and  representatives of SAICM and national institutions from Macedonia, as well the partners of the project from Serbia- Resource Center Leskovac and the Albania-Women's movement for Integral Development. Read more

For more information on toys safety please visit WECF website on Chemicals & Health.

WECF Toys Conference in Paris

WECF France organised a conference in Paris about "toys and hazardous chemicals: exploring solutions". REACH and the substitution of chemicals of concern were in the focus of the attending European experts. Topics such as consumer protection, good practices and incentive measures were discussed.
It took place November 18th 2010.

You can read more about it on the WECF webpage.

Toys Conference in Berlin - when toys make you sick!

Together with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung WECF organised a conference on the safety of toys. When toys make sick - risks for small consumers, the responsibility of politics and economy.

Chemicals, which are toxic for adults, are even more dangerous for children. Quite a few regulations try to protect children from these effects. The European Toys Directive was therefore updated in 2008 to cater for new technological developments and other important factors. But the experts are still discussing if the limits are low enough to cater for the needs of the small consumers and if the Directive really covers al hazardous substances in toys.

Childrens Environmental Action Plan for Europe

The European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 (EHAP) aims to implement the Environment and Health Strategy (SCALE- science, children, awareness, legislation, evaluation).

The action plan consists of 13 action points and is designed to give the EU the scientifically grounded information to reduce the adverse health impacts of environmental factors and to create better cooperation between actors in the environment, health and research fields.

It has three main themes:

* improving the information chain
* filling the knowledge gap
* reviewing policies and improving communication.

Read more about it and what WECF does on the WECF-Website.