Swedish scientists recently examined used and new plastic toys: 84 percent of second-hand toys contained harmful chemicals, including phthalate plasticizers. “The concentrations of the toxic substances were significantly higher in the older articles,” said study leader Bethanie Carney Almroth. “For example, many of the old balls were found to have levels of phthalates in excess of 40 percent of the toy’s weight, which is 400 times the legal limit.”
Be careful with plastic
In fact, caution should be exercised, especially with older toys made of soft plastic, says the German chemist Kerstin Effers from the consumer center in North Rhine-Westphalia on orf.at. There are also risks with older hard plastics such as Lego bricks.
It is important to examine both new and second-hand toys with all your senses, says Effers. This includes scanning for sharp edges or parts that could come loose and be swallowed. Attention should also be paid to noticeable or unpleasant odors. However, untreated, used solid wood toys are completely harmless.
Source: Nachrichten
