In order to ensure safe fun for toddlers, toy manufacturers in India have embarked on a green drive by initiating a recycling process and the use of non-toxic raw materials.
“The department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) is ready to come up with guidelines for the industry in a month or two. We are trying to create awareness among small manufacturers of this unorganised sector now. We have already urged all our 600-odd members to adopt non-toxic materials only, and if possible, to recycle toys too,” said Raj Kumar, president of the Toy Association of India (TAI).
TAI has recently launched its ‘We Care’ campaign especially for this.
The government move came after the Bombay High Court asked the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to frame a directive — which is now awaiting DIPP clearance — on the amount of phthalates permissible in toys.
The court directive came after a study by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment showed that 45 per cent of the toys made in India contain dangerous phthalates. Regular exposure to phthalates — a group of chemicals — can cause asthma, skeletal defects, damage the male reproductive system and impair the lungs.
“As a responsible firm, we are using raw materials like high-density polyethylene (HDPE), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which are not harmful. But government and associations should work on creating this awareness among small-scale producers who are using polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which has higher lead content and affects the health of kids,” said Juzer Gabajiwala, former secretary of The All India Toy Manufacturers’ Association (TAITMA) and a partner of Peacock Toys & Games.
However, this is considered to be a step by the local manufacturers to tackle the Chinese challenge. According to TAI, more than 55 per cent of the Rs 6,000-crore Indian toy industry is accounted for by imports, though the industry is growing at 30 per cent a year.
“Now, the quality of Chinese toys has improved slightly, but the products in the grey market still are sub-standard,” Gabajiwala said.
On the other hand, he argued that the government should give adequate time for manufacturers to implement the guidelines. A recent letter by TAI to DIPP echoed this demand and said that though certification for toxicity and safety should be may be made mandatory, the government should set a timeframe for its phased implementation.
“Otherwise it would be difficult for a majority of the small investors who run the industry,” he added.
Though TAI demands include grant of special status for the industry among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), a five-year dedicated programme to boost sales, further funds for skill development, research centres and subsidies, the buzzword among Indian toy manufacturers now is safety first and ‘We Care’.
Though some small manufacturers are still jittery on the way ahead after the directive, some feel it would make Indian toys stand out with an environment-friendly brand identity amid Chinese dominance in the global market.
