Toy safety: finger paints under scrutiny

Finger paints are very popular with young children. But what about their composition? Are they safe? The French Federation of Toy and Childcare Industries (FJP) sheds light on the answers provided by the voluntary standard EN 71-7.

AFNOR: Who developed the voluntary European standard EN 71-7 and why?

Martial Doumerc, QSE manager at the FJP and chair of the AFNOR "Toys" standardization committee: As standardization committees are open to all market players, the voluntary European standard EN 71-7 was developed by a group of experts including consumer associations, manufacturers, importers, distributors, public authorities, etc. In total, representatives from twenty countries participated in the work.

Published in 2002, this standard establishes a positive list of substances and mixtures that may be used in the manufacture of these paints. It also defines good manufacturing practices, test methods for verifying compliance, and requirements for warnings, markings, labeling, and packaging of these paints.

How does the EN 71-7 standard support the regulations in force?

European Directive 2009/48/EC on toy safety defines the safety requirements for toys intended for children aged 0 to 14 years. These requirements are mechanical, physical, chemical, and electrical in nature and also concern hygiene, flammability, and radioactivity. In order to protect children under 3 years of age, who are a more vulnerable group, certain additional restrictions apply. These are defined in Appendix C of the directive.

The EN 71-7 standard fits into this regulatory context by providing manufacturers with a clear and harmonized framework throughout the European Union. It provides a presumption of conformity: applying the EN 71-7 standard means being presumed to comply with the directive. Manufacturers therefore have a valuable tool, the result of a consensus, for placing safe products on the European market.

A new version of the standard has been available since November 2017. Why did it need to be updated?

Directive 2009/48/EC needs to be updated to take account of technical and scientific progress, in particular with new limit values for certain substances. The European Commission's expert group on toy safety, composed of authorities from the Member States, has therefore recommended limiting the use of the preservatives MCIT (methylchloroisothiazolinone) and MIT (methylisothiazolinone), as allergic reactions have been observed. Annex II, Appendix C of Directive 2009/48/EC was amended accordingly to include a ban on the use of MCIT/MIT (3:1), MCIT and MIT in toys (Directive 2015/2117). The 2014 NF EN 71-7 standard allowed the use of these preservatives. In light of this new scientific knowledge, the text had to be amended to bring it into line with the regulations.

How do manufacturers benefit from using this voluntary European standard? Isn't it just an additional constraint?

The voluntary European standard is not a constraint but rather a tool for standardizing and harmonizing safety requirements across the European Union. This means that manufacturers who market finger paints that comply with the standards can confidently distribute their products on the European market. Manufacturers are the first to be affected by the regulations, but they can rely on voluntary standardization to ensure common European best practices. The standard serves their interests all the better because it was made for them! Let's be clear: child safety is the priority for toy and childcare professionals.

When should these new requirements come into effect?

Since November 24, 2017, toys intended for children under 3 years of age (including finger paints) and toys intended to be placed in the mouth, regardless of the age group of the child, containing methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCIT) may no longer be placed on the European market.