Toys toying with life: Study

The endless instalments of toys coming into the market are poison, says a study by leading NGO Toxic Links.

In the study, conducted on soft and PVC toys, dangerous levels of lead and cadmium, which could result in liver damage and retarded mental growth, were found.

Releasing the study at a press conference here today, the authors of the study said alarming levels of lead and cadmium were found in PVC and soft toys in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.

"There are no legal and binding standards that stipulate the safe limits of the heavy metal content in toys (plastic or otherwise), locally manufactured or imported. The issue of safety is left largely to the manufacturers' discretion and judgement. The BIS compliance codes are only voluntary," the NGO said.

"Lead and cadmium are proven poisons, being neurotoxins and nephrotoxins, respectively. Neurotoxins are agents that can cause toxic effects on the nervous system, while nephrotoxins are agents that can cause toxic effects on the kidney. Even the tiniest amounts can have long-term and measurable effects on children, while at the same time displaying no distinctive symptoms. Lead is absorbed into the blood stream. Some of it is filtered out, but the rest is distributed within," said Ravi Agarwal, Director, Toxic Links.

All toy samples contained varying concentration of lead and cadmium. Eight samples (close to 30 %) from Mumbai contained more than US CPSC standard of 200 ppm of lead in vinyl blinds.

Five Samples (close to 20 %) had more than 600 ppm of lead, which is the limit set by US EPA for painted toys. The samples collected from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai as they are India's largest manufacturer and supply centres for unbranded toys.