A new study has revealed that some second-hand plastic toys may contain hazardous levels of toxic elements, potentially posing health risks to children. Researchers at the University of Plymouth tested 200 used plastic toys collected from nurseries, charity shops, and homes across south-west England for nine hazardous elements, including antimony, barium, bromine, cadmium, chromium, lead, and selenium.
Twenty toys contained traces of all nine elements, with some concentrations high enough to fail European safety standards. Notably, Lego bricks from the 1970s and 1980s were among the worst offenders. Dr Andrew Turner, who led the study, said: 'Lego bricks from the 70s and 80s are the big fail. Toys in those days weren't tested and now we're using them and handing them down.'
The study, published in Environmental Science and Technology, used X-ray fluorescence technology to analyse toys such as cars, trains, figures, and puzzles, all small enough to be chewed by young children. A separate analysis of 26 toys found that ten failed the European Council's Toy Safety Directive due to excessive levels of bromine, cadmium, or lead.
Dr Turner warned that second-hand toys are an attractive option for families due to their low cost and availability, but new regulations do not cover the recycling or resale of older toys. He said: 'Consumers should be made more aware of the potential risks associated with small, mouthable and brightly coloured old plastic toys or components.'
Professor Andrew Watterson of the University of Stirling, who was not involved in the research, noted that cadmium is a carcinogen and any uptake should be avoided. He advised a 'precautionary approach' to the sale of such toys, particularly as lower-income families may be more exposed to these substances.
Mark Gardiner of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute said that second-hand goods do not have the same safety assurances as new ones, and parents should weigh up the risks. He added that if toys are found to pose a risk, they can be removed from the market, and advised parents to take away any toys they are concerned about.
