Children are exposed on a daily basis to a wide range of different chemicals originating from various sources that have negative effects as individual substances or mixtures, but also through combined exposure. Significant progress has been made to close some knowledge gaps on the impact of the combination effect of those chemicals. However, currently, the safety of chemicals is usually assessed through the evaluation of single substances and in some cases of mixtures intentionally added for particular uses. Further efforts are needed to better understand the impact of the combination effect of chemicals. In order to provide the highest protection to children, the most harmful substances should be generally prohibited in toys to ensure that there is no exposure to them in toys. The specific limit values for chemicals in toys should account for combined exposure from different sources to the same chemical substance. In addition, manufacturers should be required to carry out an analysis of the various hazards that the toy might present and an assessment of the potential exposure to such hazards and, as part of the assessment of chemical hazards, to consider known cumulative or synergistic effects of the chemicals present in the toy, in order to ensure that risks from simultaneous exposure to multiple chemicals are taken into account. Furthermore, toys are to comply with general legislation in relation to chemicals, in particular Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, and this Regulation does not change the obligations for the assessment of the safety of the chemical substances or mixtures themselves that are applicable pursuant to that Regulation.
Text as published in the Official Journal, reproduced verbatim (including any typographical quirks of the source). For the authentic version, see EUR-Lex.
