EU Updates EN 71-3 and Strengthens Migration Limit for Chromium (VI) in Certain Toy Materials

Top Quote CEN has issued an updated version of EN 71-3 for the migration of certain elements in toys. It will be given the status of a national standard by October 2019. End Quote
  • (1888PressRelease) May 16, 2019 - The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has published the latest version of EN 71-3 Safety of Toys - Part 3: Migration of Certain Elements.

    EN 71-3 covers the migration of 19 elements:
    1. Aluminium
    2. Antimony
    3. Arsenic
    4. Barium
    5. Boron
    6. Cadmium
    7. Chromium (III)
    8. Chromium (VI)
    9. Cobalt
    10. Copper
    11. Lead
    12. Manganese
    13. Mercury
    14. Nickel
    15. Selenium
    16. Strontium
    17. Tin
    18. Organic tin
    19. Zinc

    The 2019 iteration of the standard contains several technical changes to its predecessor, EN 71-3:2013+A3:2018. These include making the standard analogous to the changes brought in by Directive (EU) 2018/725, which amended Directive 2009/48/EC, the so-called European Toy Safety Directive (TSD). (EU) 2018/725 strengthening by roughly a factor of four the migration limit relating to chromium (VI) in scraped-off toy materials (category III). The new toughened limit of 0.053 mg/kg will become effective on November 18, 2019.

    Category III – Scraped-off toy materials include:
    • Ceramics, glass, metals & metal alloys, textiles and wood
    • Elastomers, leatherettes, polymers and surface coating materials
    • Other materials such as bone, leather and natural sponge

    Other changes to EN 71-3 include:
    • Revising sampling and sample preparation procedures, including those for dewaxing and pH control
    • Use of sieving no longer required
    • Revising calculation methods, including those for chromium (III)
    • Revising test methods for the stabilization of migration solutions, general elements and organic tin
    • Replacing test method for chromium (III) and chromium (VI) by test method for chromium (VI) which is capable of determining chromium (VI) at the limit values for all material categories

    Stakeholders should also be aware that the new standard indicates Ion Chromatography (IC) with post-column derivatization and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV/VIS) as suitable for detecting chromium (VI) in category III toy materials.

    The new standard is expected to be harmonized with the TSD upon official acceptance by the European Commission and its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. It will be afforded the status of a national standard by October 2019, meaning conflicting standards should be withdrawn by this date.

    SGS EU Toy Directive Services
    SGS offers a wide range of services to ensure that products comply with the EU Toy Safety Directive. They offer training, safety/risk assessment, technical documentation check, labelling review, testing according to harmonized standards, SVHC screening, inspections and audits. They have the world’s largest network of toy experts and testing facilities, including around 20 toy laboratories and three 3 EU Notified Bodies (France, Germany and Netherlands). Learn more about SGS’s EU Toy Directive Services. [www.sgs.com/en/Consumer-Goods-Retail/Toys-and-Juvenile-Products/Toys/EU-Toy-Directive.aspx]

    SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full CEN Publishes EN 71-3:2019 ‘Migration of Certain Elements’ SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2019/05/safeguards-06219-cen-publishes-en-71-3-2019-migration-of-certain-elements]

    Subscribe here, www.sgs.com/subscribesg, to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

    For further information contact:

    Hingwo Tsang
    Global Information and Innovation Manager
    Tel:(+852) 2774 7420
    Email: crs.media ( @ ) sgs dot com
    Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines
    LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

    About SGS
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