EU – Updates to European Toy Safety Requirements for Aluminium and Formaldehyde in Effect

Vol. 1247 | 02 Jun 2021

In November 2019, the European Commission published two directives, (EU) 2019/1922 and 2019/1929 (refer to Insight Vol. 1119), to update the European Toys Safety requirements. These updates came into effect respectively on May 20 and May 21, 2021.

The first of these relates to the requirement for aluminium in EN71 Part 3, which has been amended to EN 71-3:2019 + A1: 2021.

The migration limits for aluminium have been amended by Commission Directive (EU) 2019/1922. The new limit values (2 250 mg/kg in dry, brittle, powder-like or pliable toy material, 560 mg/kg in liquid or sticky toy material and 28 130 mg/kg in scraped-off toy material) apply from May 20, 2021. There is no change the test method for aluminium.

The second update relates to the requirements for formaldehyde in Appendix C of Annex II of the Toys Safety Directive 2009/48/EC.

Appendix C of Annex II defines specific limit values for chemicals, used in toys intended for children under 36 months or toys intended to be placed in the mouth, which are classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.

The limits for formaldehyde are:

• Migration limit: 1.5 mg/l in polymeric toy material
• Emission limit: 0.1 ml/m3 in resin-bonded wood toy material
• Content limit: 30 mg/kg in textile toy material
• Content limit: 30 mg/kg in leather toy material
• Content limit: 30 mg/kg in paper toy material
• Content limit: 10 mg/kg in water-based toy material

To date, the reference to the amended requirements on migration for have not yet been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Therefore, the previous versions remain the harmonised ones for the time being. These references are expected to be published in the Official Journal in the near future.

For more information, please contact:

Rob Burton
rob.burton@intertek.com