EU toy directive adopts five new restrictions

The Official Journal of the European Union published Commission Directives (EU) 2015/2115, (EU) 2015/2116 and (EU) 2015/2117 to amend Appendix C to Annex II of Directive 2009/48/EC (safety of toys) to include five new restrictions on 24 November 2015.

Appendix C of Annex II to Directive 2009/48/EC provides for specific limit values for chemicals used in toys which are intended for children under 36 months and in other toys intended to be placed in the mouth. After the inclusion of five restrictions, this Appendix includes nine substances in total as the following:
 

Substance	CAS NO	Limit Value	Date of Applicability	Commission Directive
*reaction mass of: 5-chloro-2- methyl-4-isothiazolin- 3-one [EC no. 247-500-7] and 2-methyl-2H -isothiazol-3-one [EC no. 220-239-6] (3:1)	55965-84-9	1 mg/kg (content limit) in aqueous toy materials	24/11/2017	(EU) 2015/2117
* 5-Chloro-2-methyl-isothiazolin-3(2H)-one (CMI)	26172-55-4	0,75 mg/kg (content limit) in aqueous toy materials	24/11/2017	(EU) 2015/2117
* 2-methylisothiazolin-3(2H)-one (MI)	2682-20-4	0,25 mg/kg (content limit) in aqueous toy materials’	24/11/2017	(EU) 2015/2117
*1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one (BIT)	2634-33-5	5 mg/kg (content limit) in aqueous toy materials, in accordance with the methods laid down in EN 71-10:2005 and EN 71-11:2005	24/05/2017	(EU) 2015/2116
* Formamide	75-12-7	20 μg/m3 (emission limit) after a maximum of 28 days from commencement of the emission testing of foam toy materials containing more than 200 mg/kg (cut-off limit based on content).	24/05/2017	(EU) 2015/2115
TCEP	115-96-8	5 mg/kg (content limit)	21/12/2015	2014/79/EU
TCPP	13674-84-5	5 mg/kg (content limit)	21/12/2015	2014/79/EU
TDCP	13674-87-8	5 mg/kg (content limit)	21/12/2015	2014/79/EU
Bisphenol A	80-05-7	0,1 mg/l (migration limit) in accordance with the methods laid down in EN 71-10:2005 and EN 71-11:2005	21/12/2015	2014/81/EU

Substances marked with “*” means new restrictions
 
The proposed amendment at the Meeting of the Safety of Toys Committee included 6 substances, however, the proposal for phenol (CAS: 108-95-2) was not passed.
 
It is noteworthy that TCEP, TCPP, TDCP and Bisphenol A will be applicable to the Member States since 21 December 2015, which toy exporters or producers should deal with due caution.
 
European Union is a tremendous market for toys. So any amendment to the toy directive leads to significant impact on the toy industry. C&K Testing advises companies to track the latest news of relevant regulations so as to take the preemptive opportunities.