Consumers’ body seeks ban on toxic toys

The Consumer Welfare Association has filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court seeking a ban...

The Consumer Welfare Association (CWA) has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court seeking a ban on the manufacture and import of toys made of toxic chemicals which, it says, are “highly dangerous and harmful to children”. The PIL will come up for hearing later this week.

The CWA, in its petition, mentions several national and international news reports, including two carried in The Indian Express, about the harm—brain damage and other impairments—caused by the potentially high toxic level of substances like lead, cadmium and mercury in some toys. World’s largest toy maker Mattel Corporation had in August this year recalled nearly 19 million toys from around the world due to the danger they pose to children, mentions A M Mascarenhas, secretary of the association, in the PIL.

The CWA has urged the court to direct the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to produce records pertaining to standards set for chemicals used in toys and also to direct the department of Customs and Excise not to permit any import of toxic toys. It has also sought a ban on the sale of such toys, besides constitution of an independent body of experts to ascertain the level of toxic chemicals in toys.

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The petitioners have cited two reports in The Indian Express titled ‘Toxic toys: No norms to regulate unorganised Indian market’ (August 27) and ‘Play it safe’ (August 19). One of the reports states that “according to the president of All-India Toy Manufacturers’ Association, an overwhelming 50 per cent of toys in India are exported from China. The biggest problem in this country is that the market is highly unorganised. The Government conducts no mandatory checks for toxicity. According to laws, all toys manufactured here or imported from outside should have the names and addresses of the manufacturer and importer. But most importers flout this rule and there is no check by the Customs”.

The other states that “the toys are foul smelling and without doubt are toxic. At least none of them have been checked for quality”.

The petition has cited other reports which say that if chewed by children the lead-laced toys can affect their physical and mental health in the long run. “Chronic intake of lead causes plumbism, which results in abdominal pain, paralysis and even collapse because of damage to the child’s brain, blood cells and intestines,” the petition says, quoting a report.