As the Christmas season looms in the horizon, the environmental advocacy group EcoWaste Coalition urged the Departments of Health, Trade and Education to implement proactive measures to protect children from toys bearing harmful chemicals.

"We urge Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Trade Secretary Peter Favila and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus to seize the heightened interest on harmful chemicals in toys due to the global recalls of certain China-made products by coming up with concrete measures that will safeguard children from toxic toys," said retired nurse Elsie Brandes-De Veyra, member of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Steering Committee.

"The DOH, DTI, DepED and other agencies, with the participation of the civil society and the mass media, should jointly lead a campaign in the months leading up to Christmas to ensure the safety of toy products in the local market. We should take all the essential precautions, given the vulnerability of children to chemicals," the coalition said in a statement.

The measures, according to the EcoWaste coalition, should emphasize the shared responsibilities of manufacturers, retailers, regulators and consumers in ensuring that only safe toys are offered in malls, stores and sidewalks, especially during the festive season.

These measures may include a precautionary ban on toys containing chemicals such as lead, mercury, phthalates and other toxic substances that can cause adverse health effects, mandatory product testing prior to sale, nonstop market surveillance, safety labeling and warning, and a public information drive on toys and chemical safety.

The eco-group cited the European Union decision in July 2005 to ban phthalates BBP, DBP, DEHP, DIDP, DINP and DNOP in all plastic toys and childcare articles. Children could ingest these toxic chemicals, used to soften the plastics, when they suck or chew on the plastic products.

The EcoWaste Coalition also cited the resolution adopted by the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) in September 2006 encouraging the use of various tools and approaches, including prevention and precaution, to protect children from harmful chemical exposures.

Among other recommendations, the IFCS encourages stakeholders to identify chemicals of concern used in toys and potential substitution options, develop guidance for toy safety and the harmonization of international standards, and support educational efforts to raise awareness on toys and chemical safety among parents and children, health care professionals, toy manufacturers, and the informal sector.

In the US, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued guidance about children’s products containing liquid chemicals. This guidance encourages toy manufacturers to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals such as diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, mercury, methanol, methylene chloride, petroleum distillates, toluene and xylene, to minimize the risk of chemical exposure among children.