Information about chemicals in articles
Abstract: This study assesses the problems of loss of information about chemicals throughout the global product chain of toys, concentrated on import to the European Union. The aim of the study was to use qualitative interviews as well as available literature to describe the present situation regarding information about chemicals in the toy industry, to investigate whether information is lost and in that case where and why. According to the results, information about chemicals in toys is primarily lost in two different stages: high up in the supply chain due to patent issues and production secrets of the chemical supplier, and at the stage of import because the information was not requested here or in earlier tier of the supply chain. This study also found out that information about chemicals in toys will be improved in the EU within the near future, due to ongoing legislative revisions. The entry into force of the recent EU chemical regulation REACH and the revision of the EU Toy Safety Directive will bring stricter requirements on chemicals in nonelectrical toys that are not chemical products, and the Toy Safety Directive will also bring clearer provisions on responsibilities for information transfer as well as improved provisions for surveillance. Further on, this study investigated suitable ways of transferring information about chemicals in toys. The findings on this issues suggest that even though it is not possible to require companies to show exactly which substances are present in their products, there seems to be benefits for the companies themselves about having as much information as possible. Most importantly, importing companies need to be transparent with what their products contain, to rebuild consumers' confidence in toys.
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