EU advances toy safety regulations to protect kids from toxic chemicals

The European Parliament has backed new regulations to safeguard children from harmful chemicals in toys, focusing on banning endocrine disruptors and strengthening digital safety for connected toys.

Marta Iraola Iribarren reports for Euronews.


In short:

  • The European Parliament supported updated toy safety regulations, emphasizing protection from chemicals like endocrine disruptors and respiratory sensitisers.
  • The rules require toy manufacturers to conduct safety assessments, covering physical and digital risks and provide Digital Product Passports for compliance.
  • Inter-institutional negotiations with the Commission and Council are the next step before finalizing the legislation.

Key quote:

"Now it is key to convince Member States to preserve the precautionary principle in the legislation."

— Florence Punzano, senior policy officer at the consumer organisation BEUC

Why this matters:

Children’s developing bodies are especially vulnerable to harmful chemicals. Stricter regulations could reduce exposure to substances linked to serious health issues, including asthma and hormonal disruptions.

Related EHN coverage:

About the author(s):

EHN Curators
EHN Curators
Articles curated and summarized by the Environmental Health News' curation team. Some AI-based tools helped produce this text, with human oversight, fact checking and editing.

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