Lead-free toys to prevent poisoning

• April 25, 2024

Data from the Ministry of Health affirm that girls and boys absorb lead in greater amount through the digestive tract than adults. The most common products to get in contact with the chemical are: paints, pencils, toys, masses for molding and the polluted air of large cities.

The products in the bedroom, playrooms and school should not be toxic nor irritants. It is the responsibility of the manufacturers that the products for the children's stage are designed so that their ingestion , contact with the skin, mucous membranes, eyes and inhalation do not represent a threat to health.

The role of mothers and fathers consists of reviewing the products and supervising their use. The tiny pieces should not be detached easily, this way the intake will be avoided, and in extreme cases, the choking of the child.

By law, products in the Mexican market must contain safety instructions and legends in Spanish, regardless of their country of origin. However, a large part of the offers in the market are entered into the country illegally, putting family health at risk, as they are not regulated by the government.

Undoubtedly, the freedom that children have to play helps them to meet the stages of growth, in addition to promoting social activity.

Official Mexican Standard (NOM)

It is important to know the regulation that the Federal Government handles through the Ministry of Health, to protect children in the national territory against exposure to toxic materials in toys aimed, mainly, at children up to 3 years of age.

Since August 29, 2008, COFEMER (Federal Council for Regulatory Improvement) collaborates with the Ministry of Health to prepare and review the "Draft Official Mexican Standard, Environmental Health. Toys and school supplies. Limits of bioavailability of heavy metals ", which is intended to update the regulation applicable to the limits of heavy metals that may be contained in toys.

For them, studies were taken from the World Health Organization, the National Institute of Public Health and Environment of the Netherlands, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry of the United States, and the International Program for Chemical Safety of the FAO, in which it has been shown that exposure to certain metals is usually greater in children under three years of age.

With this, the national manufacturers of toys and school items must prove compliance with the new limits, which also agree with the standards applicable to various paints used in the manufacture of their products. In the same way, it will be monitored that the imported articles comply with the regulations and comply with the established measures.

Video Medicine: Reducing Lead Exposure—Nemours: Keeping a Healthy Home (April 2024).