EU Commission opens lead limit values consultation

The European Commission has launched a consultation on the revision of the limit values for lead in toys.

The new Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC (TSD) introduced strict migration limits for lead in toys. These limits are based on the assumption that exposure of children to chemicals may not exceed a certain level, called “Tolerable Daily Intake” (TDI). Since children are exposed to lead via other sources than toys, only a percentage of the TDI should be allocated to toys. The legislator decided that, for lead, the allocation should not exceed 5% of the TDI, in order to ensure that only traces that are compatible with good manufacturing practice will be present.

The EU executive cites a study from 2010 by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) that concluded that it was impossible to establish, for lead, a threshold below which no critical effect on health can be observed. The authority therefore recommended reducing lead exposure from both food and non-food products.

"It is necessary to amend the current values for lead and align them with the latest scientific data, in order to reduce children's exposure to lead," states the Commission.

The following options are being considered:

1.Reduction of lead limits for all toys;

2. Reduction of the limits for lead in all toys, except for certain materials such as clay, kaolin or pigments. Relevant lead limits of clay, kaolin or pigments will not be revised.

The consultation will close on 7 May 2012.