THE toys we buy today are very different from those of the past: they are sold everywhere, they arrive quickly and are often full of technology. For this reason, the old European laws were no longer enough the European Union has decided to rewrite the safety rules. Objective one and simple: eliminate all those new risks deriving from both chemical products and more advanced functions make every toy sold in Europe 100 percent safe.
Safer toys: total stop to dangerous substances
The main innovation is a very strong grip on materials. The law, in fact, will not only ban the most well-known poisons, but also more subtle substances. New categories of chemical compounds will be banned, such as endocrine disruptors, which can alter children’s hormones. And it will come Intentional use of PFAS prohibited (the “eternal chemicals”), used to make materials waterproof.
The little ones are even more protected
Maximum care also for the little ones: for toys intended for children under three years of age or that go in the mouth, even many perfumes that can trigger allergies (allergenic fragrances) will be banned. Simply put, manufacturers will have to demonstrate with precise documents what happens to the toy when it is used, chewed, or exposed to sweat.
It’s the end of unknown toys: the new rules aim to guarantee total safety (Getty Images)
Also check for toys that “think”
THE‘The EU has also thought about all those new toys that connect to the Internetspeak or record: for all of these, it will no longer be enough to be robust and without edges. Producers will have to analyze the possible effects that a digital toy can have on children’s mental well-being. To give an example: an interactive robot will need to be checked to ensure that its functions are not too stimulating or unsuitable for the child’s age. In short, safety is considered comprehensively. A toy must be safe both in its physical part (the plastic) and in its digital part (the software).
Safer toys: the Digital Passport
There the real revolution for controls is the toy Digital Passportthe new “identity card”, but digital, often accessible via a QR code on the packaging. This code will contain all data on compliance, checks passed and provenance. In this way, the passage through customs will be much quicker and parents will also be able to access security information easily. Greater controls also on toys sold online: e-commerce sites, in fact, will have to ensure that sellers upload this digital passport. Without these documents, the toy cannot be sold online.
When the reform takes place
As often happens, the process of activating the law will not be exactly overnight, on the contrary. The law, in fact, will be fully implemented after a transition period of four and a half years. This time, however, will be used by companies to change the materials and to install the new IT systems necessary to manage the Digital Passport. A fundamental step, so that parents can blindly trust any toy purchased in the European Unionknowing that it has been checked against all risks, old and new.