The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has issued the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Regulation which came into effect from July 1st 2014. The regulation stipulates the safety requirements on toys and children’s product, especially on the concentration limit of phthalates (PAEs).
The regulation classifies 6 kinds of PAEs into two categories: Class 1 PAEs including BBP, DBP and DEHP; and Class 2 PAEs including DIDP, DINP and DNOP. Concentration limits are given for each class as follows:
For all toys and children’s products, the total concentration of Class 1 PAEs mustn’t excess 0.1%.
For toys and children’s products that can be put into mouths by children under 4 years old, the total concentration of Class 2 PAEs mustn’t excess 0.1%.
If one toy or children’s product has a detachable component which is the only part of the product that can be put into mouths by children under 4 years old, then the total concentration of Class 2 PAEs in that particular component mustn’t excess 0.1%.
Phthalates has drawn a lot of public attention after several food safety scandals in China’s mainland and Taiwan in recent years. They are usually used as plasticizers and can be found in many kinds of plastic products. As an endocrine disruptor, phthalates influence the human’s endocrine system and have been linked with early sexual development in females and male infertility. When infants and children bite, chew and suck plastic toys, phthalates can be absorbed into their bodies and harm their developing reproductive and endocrine systems.
Hong Kong is one of the world’s most important hubs for toy circulation and holds the world’s second largest toys exhibition every January. It is the main export target for many Chinese toys manufacturers. This regulation is one of the measures Hong Kong government is taking to maintain its importance in world’s toys market. The regulation raises the compliance bar for toy export companies and is likely to affect market values. Companies that intend to export toys and children’s products into Hong Kong are suggested to:
Understand the detailed requirements of the regulation.
Check and improve the raw materials, recipes and production procedures to make sure their products meet the requirements.
Have their products examined by certificated laboratories and get approval by Hong Kong’s competent authorities.
