TOYING WITH INNOCENCE
--Shivani Thakur
Recently Mattel Inc. recalled back about 1.5 million toys in one day from the markets worldwide. Mattel Inc. is world’s biggest toy manufacturer. The toys had been manufactured
in China. This recall was because of excessive lead used in these and rising health and safety concerns forced the company to take these necessary steps.
Any global brand with its credibility at stake usually does that but what about all those unbranded toys which gain entry without any checks in the Indian market?
Toys are used for overall development of a child. In earlier times clay, wood and stones were used but today plastic rules. Not only are they light to hold and mouldable but also are attractively colored to draw attention of a child. Most of the toys
available today are made of Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC. PVC on its own is unstable and requires lead and cadmium.
Phthalate, another compound, is added to make the toys soft and pliable. These three compounds are majorily responsible for creating health problems. A child when chews on these toys,
PVC releases its metal stabilizers as surface dust which is injested by the child leading to lead poisoning. Dr. Abhay Kumar of NGO Toxic Links says that India has no standards to regulate the content of toxins like lead and cadmium and whatever tests
are conducted are done only for the export market.
Lead and cadmium affect the nervous system, kidneys and the reproductive system. Whereas phthalate can affect the liver.
According to WHO about 15 to 18 million children below
12 years in developing countries suffer from permanent brain damage due to lead poisoning . Cancer, anemia and dermatitis are some other affects of this. Lead is also known
to stay in the body for years.
In India 70% of all toys come from China of which 45% is unbranded.
In China lead is used excessively to give the toys a glossy finish to make them attractive. According to Ashok Jain of All India Toy Manufacturers Association, “ there is no authority to monitor quality of toys entering the Indian
market.” Apart from China indigenous toy manufacturers churn out toys from harmful recycled plastic. These toys cost anything between Rs 10 to Rs100
catering to the lower income group. The lack of regulatory authority in case of toys like the Bureau of Indian Standards
means no check on such companies. NGO Toxic Links last year conducted a survey of toys in Delhi,Mumbai and Chennai found that out of 111 unbranded toys 88 had high levels of lead and cadmium.
Most Indians were not even aware that these toys could be dangerous till they heard Mattel Inc had recalled major consignments of Chinese made toys.
Many experts see no reason to panic, as toys are just one more source of lead poisoning in India. But safety concerns are still high as we could be playing with the health of our children.
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