NEWS FRANCE TV. Children’s toys are contaminated with flame retardants, toxic chemicals

Journalists from the program “Vert de Rage”, broadcast on France 5, analyzed the presence of bromine on around a hundred toys, as part of an investigation into these substances considered carcinogens or endocrine disruptors. Result: 10% of these children’s products were contaminated.

They are used in all our everyday objects (furniture, textiles, etc.) to slow the spread of fire in the event of a fire. Supposed to protect us,However, brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are considered carcinogens or endocrine disruptors, likely to affect the fertility and thyroid function of exposed people. After alerting on the presence of these chemical substances in the fire service, the team from the show “Vert de Rage” analyzed the composition of plastic toys to assess children’s exposure to these components.

The “Vert de Rage” team, whose work will be the subject of a documentary broadcast on France 5 on January 15, reveals worrying results, well above the authorized thresholds. In France, regulations stipulate that levels of brominated retardants in toys must not exceed 500 mg/kg. However, out of around 100 toys tested by journalists using an X-ray fluorescence gun, 10% exceeded the regulatory threshold.

Some toys sometimes showed alarming levels, such as a plastic rifle where the concentration of brominated flame retardants reached 5,708 mg/kg, more than ten times the authorized limit. These results were confirmed in the laboratory of Petra Pribylova, a European flame retardant specialist.

“You may have hormonal effects”

“If your baby ever puts a brominated plastic in his mouth, you will not be able to detect an effect instantly. But if you have repeated exposures over many years, you can have hormonal effects called endocrine disruptors”analysis with “Vert de Rage” Pierre Hennebert, former environmental chemist at the National Institute of Industrial Environment and Risks (Ineris) and specialist in these substances.

The toys tested came from various brands, including Action and Carrefour. Contacted, the Action brand affirms that its own tests, carried out in particular on a princess dress and a racing car, “revealed no problems” Or “confirm that the product fully complies with all EU legislative requirements. Alerted to a non-compliant plastic pistol and rifle, the Carrefour group responded by immediately notifying the manufacturer, Ferry, “required to place on the market products that comply with the various conformity standards of the countries in which it markets them..

Questioned by “Vert de Rage”, the manufacturer claims to have been “probably deceived by an unscrupulous supplier who probably used recycled plastic in his products without his knowledge.”plastic which contained “probably these brominated substances”. After this “unfortunate experience”Ferry claims to have “added the dosage [des retardateurs de flamme] to all its usual chemical analyses” in order to “protect against any untimely use”.

Faced with this worrying situation, which raises questions about the measures to be taken to guarantee the safety of consumers, in particular children, the “Vert de Rage” team questioned Olivia Grégoire, Minister Delegate for Commerce, during a public conference. She did not wish to react to the results of the study carried out by journalists, nor did her office.

>> The program “Vert de rage” dedicated to flame retardants will be broadcast on January 15 at 9:05 p.m. on France 5