TL: DETERMINATION OF THE COMPOSITION AND QUANTITIES OF PHTHALATE
ESTER ADDITIVES IN PVC CHILDREN'S TOYS - SUMMARY
SO: GREENPEACE INTERNATIONAL, (GP)
DT: 1997

1. Summary

PVC (polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) is widely used in toys and
other children's products. For soft applications, such as toys
designed for chewing ("teethers"), softeners or plasticisers are
added to give the desired flexibility. Although a range of
chemicals are used as softeners, phthalate esters (phthalates)
are by far the most commonly used.

Phthalates do not bind to the PVC, remaining present as a freely
mobile and leachable phase in the plastic. As a consequence,
phthalates are continuously lost from soft PVC over time.
Contact and pressure, such as that applied during teething or
play, can increase the rates at which these chemicals leach from
the plastic.

Children in contact with soft PVC toys may, therefore, ingest
substantial quantities of phthalates during normal play,
especially from toys specifically designed to be chewed. This is
of concern as phthalates are known to present a number of
hazards. Although acute toxicity appears to be low, phthalates
have been shown to cause a range of adverse effects in
laboratory animals following longer exposure, including damage
to the liver and kidney and, in some cases, effects on the
reproductive tract.

The limited research available to date on the composition of
phthalates in PVC toys has raised concerns over the potential
for exposure of children to these chemicals. Despite this,
manufacturers do not provide information on the types or
quantities of additives present in toys. Greenpeace was
interested, therefore, to obtain a range of typical soft PVC
toys from a number of countries, particularly those designed to
be chewed, and to determine the types and quantities of
plasticisers present.

A total of 71 toys were purchased, drawn from 17 countries, the
majority of which (63) were PVC or had PVC sections. In almost
all soft PVC toys analysed, phthalates comprised a sizeable
proportion (most frequently 10-40%) of the total weight of the
toy. Although historically the most commonly used phthalate was
DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate), the most frequently
identified, and generally most abundant, phthalate in the
current investigation was the isomeric form DINP (diisononyl
phthalate). Of the 63 PVC toys analysed, 40 contained DINP as
the predominant phthalate, compared to only 8 for DEHP. DEHP was
also present as a minor component of many of the toys containing
DINP, perhaps as a contaminant in the DINP. Of the 8 non-PVC
toys analysed, only one contained any detectable phthalate, and
then only in trace quantities (possibly as a contaminant from
the PVC in which it was packaged).

Although less well researched than DEHP, DINP shows similar
toxicological properties in laboratory animals. Effects recorded
include liver and kidney disorders, damage to the reproductive
tract, increased incidence of certain forms of cancer and
diverse effects on development and metabolism. More recently,
research has revealed that DINP, along with some other
phthalates, shows weak activity as a mimic of the hormone
estrogen in human cell lines. When purchased for laboratory use,
DINP is labelled with a number of hazard phrases, including
"harmful by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed",
"possible risk of irreversible effects" and "may cause cancer".
In contrast, toys containing up to 40% by weight DINP in a
readily leachable form are frequently labelled "non toxic".

A number of other compounds were identified in some of the toys,
generally at lower but significant concentrations. DBP (dibutyl
phthalate) and BBP (butylbenzyl phthalate), found in several
toys, are known to be particularly hazardous. The estrogenic
chemical nonylphenol was isolated from 13 toys, while 2 toys
were found to contain the fungicide Fungitrol 11 (Folpet).

The rates at which chemicals leach from soft PVC were not
determined in this study. Nevertheless, the presence of these
chemicals in such quantities in toys designed to be chewed by
babies and young children, along with published evidence that
such additives are hazardous and can leach from PVC toys, raises
serious concerns. The Danish EPA has recently demonstrated that
the leaching of phthalates, particularly DINP, from teething
toys can be substantial. This has been supported by similar
studies in other countries and has led, in some cases, to
recommendations that certain toys be withdrawn or even that the
use of soft PVC in toys for young children should be
discontinued.

The study carried out by Greenpeace has demonstrated that
phthalates, particularly DINP and DEHP, are widely and
abundantly used in high contact children's toys. Their use
represents a significant potential for exposure of children to
chemical hazards, of particular concern during sensitive periods
of development. Although it is practically impossible to make
accurate predictions of dose, exposure to such hazards is
clearly unacceptable. The only way to avoid direct intake of
phthalates is to eliminate the use of PVC in all soft toy
applications.