UK Drafted the Toys and Cosmetic Products (Restriction of Chemical Substances) Regulations 2022

2022-05-17

On 2022-04-13, the United Kingdom (UK) notified the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (notification ref: G/TBT/N/GBR/47) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) about their amendments to their Toys (Safety) Regulation 2011 (“the Toys Regulations”) and the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 ("the Cosmetics Regulations") as applicable in England, Wales and Scotland.

 

Products covered in the amendment are toys (HS code 95) and cosmetics products (HS code 33), and the amended standard will be titled as The Toys and Cosmetic Products (Restriction of Chemical Substances) Regulations 2022. The objective of this amendment is to revise the permitted use of specific chemicals in order to ensure that only safe toys and cosmetics products can be placed on the UK market.

 

Rationale for the Changes:

Chemicals for the control are classified in the following three categories:

No.

Chemicals

Cosmetic Regulations

Toy Regulations

1

Carcinogen Mutagen and Reprotoxic substances (CMRs) as classified under GB CLP regulations

amended to reflect the CLP classification

-

2

Fragrance allergens, used in toys including finger paints and modelling clay

-

amended to prohibit the use of these chemicals

3

Under the Science Advisory Group-Chemical Safety (SAG-CS) reviews

permit the use of salicylic acid only in specific instances and prohibit the use of deoxyarbutin

reduce the permitted limits of aluminium, aniline and formaldehyde

 

Major Changes to Toys Regulation:

The existing Toys (Safety) Regulations are amended as follows:

 

Part 3 (chemical properties) of Schedule 2 (particular safety requirements):

- In the first table at point 11 (prohibited allergic fragrances) after row 55, (treemoss extracts), the following items were inserted:

 No.

Name of the Allergenic Fragrance

CAS No.

56

Atranol (2,6-Dihydroxy-4-methyl-benzaldehyde)

526-37-4

57

Chloroatranol (3-Chloro-2,6-Dihydroxy-4-methyl-benzaldehyde)

57074-21-2

58

Methyl Heptine Carbonate

111-12-6

 

- In the table at point 13, for the element in the first row, the limits of aluminium are revised as follows:

Element

mg/kg in Dry, Brittle, Powder-like or Pliable Toy Material

mg/kg in Liquid or Sticky Toy Material

mg/kg in Scraped-off Toy Material

Aluminium

2,250

560

28,130

 

Appendix C to Schedule 2

- At the end of the table (limit values for chemicals used in toys intended for use by children under 36 months), the following entries were added:

Substance

CAS No.

Limit Value

Aniline

62-53-3

  • 30 mg/kg after reductive cleavage in textile and leather materials
  • 30 mg/kg after reductive cleavage in finger paints
  • 10 mg/kg as free aniline in finger paints

Formaldehyde

50-00-0

  • Polymeric 1.5 mg/l (migration limit)
  • Resin-bonded wood 0.1 ml/m3 (emission limit)
  • Textile 30 mg/kg
  • Leather 30 mg/kg
  • Paper 30 mg/kg
  • Water-based 10 mg/kg

 

Effective Date:

Proposed date of adoption:

2022-06-15

Proposed dates of entry into force:

2022-10-15 (except sections: 2(2)(b) 2(3), 3(2) and 3(5))

2022-12-15 (all sections)

 

References:

https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/G/TBTN22/GBR47.pdf&Open=True

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/GBR/22_2823_00_e.pdf

 

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