September 15, 2015
EUROPEAN UNION ̶ European Commission (EC) Directive 2014/81/EU sets a limit on bisphenol A (BPA) of 0.1 mg/l (migration limit) in all toys intended for children up to the age of 3 years, and in any toys intended to be placed in the mouth, regardless of intended age.
The limit was derived from European standard EN 71-9:2005+A1:2007, which specifies requirements for the migration or content of certain hazardous organic chemical compounds from and in toys. The Directive states that voluntary application of this standard by the European toy industry has “contributed to keeping the exposure of children to BPA from toys low in comparison to other non-food contributors such as cosmetics or dust, and far lower than the exposure from BPA in the diet.”
However, according to the text of the directive, “those standards do not constitute harmonized standards,” and without a regulatory measure, children could face increasing exposure to BPA, which has been classified in the EU as a Category 2 reproductive toxicant. The 0.1 mg/l migration limit for BPA in toys will be applicable beginning December 21, 2015.
BPA will continue to be restricted in all toys distributed in the EU markets due to its classification as toxic for reproduction category 2, and the current limit of 5% was reduced to 3% beginning June 1, 2015.