The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Imported toys will have to conform to norms specified by BIS

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Monday, May 17, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Imported toys will have to conform to norms specified by BIS

K. Lakshmi

The regulation will cover toys targeted at children below six years

— Photo: V. Ganesan

Toys with toxic substances pose health risk to children

CHENNAI: Imported toys sold in the city will soon be required to carry statutory information about their conforming to the safety standards specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

According to officials of the BIS, Southern Region, measures are under way to bring in such a regulation for the imported toys. This would help curb sale of toys containing toxic substances.

Statutory message

As per the proposal, the toy manufacturers have to print a statutory message that the product conforms to the IS 9873 on the safety aspects related to the mechanical and physical properties, they said.

Health risk

A senior official said this would be applicable to toys targeted at children below six years. Toys with toxic substances pose health risk to children.

The standard specifies the permissible levels of chemicals such as lead, cadmium, barium and chromium used in the manufacture of the toys, an official said.

Standards

It is proposed to make the manufacturers conform to the standards voluntarily, as part of the self-regulatory scheme under which the dealers of the toys would also be covered.

Discussions are on about various aspects concerning the monitoring mechanism, including the role of government agencies in ensuring implementation of the scheme, the official said.

Testing samples

The toy samples must be tested in laboratories approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories for BIS certification. The self-regulatory certification is expected to come into force by this year-end, the official added.

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