WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1806/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Use of hazardous substance PVC in manufacture of toys
18. 1. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 13/7 can escape from plastic toys and enter the sensitive bodily systems of young children resulting in damage to liver and kidneys, abnormalities of the reproductive system, cell mutation, the development of cancers in the liver, kidneys and blood, and endocrine and hormonal disorders. Is the Commission considering banning the use of PVC in the EU as this material appears to pose nightmarish threats to the health of children in Europe? (1999/C 13/012) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1806/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: Use of hazardous substance PVC in manufacture of toys (11 June 1998) Greenpeaceís claims that toys made from PVC are banned in the nurseries for children of Community officials, while as yet there is no restriction for other children, are having an adverse impact on public opinion. In Greenpeaceís view, the material contains substances suspected of causing long-term serious damage to the liver, kidneys and reproductive system, and of contributing to the development of cancer. 1. Are such toys hazardous for children of EU officials but harmless for other children? 2. What measures will the Commission take to eliminate the risks associated with the use of toys made from PVC, given that the warning áfor children aged 3 and aboveí is deemed inadequate? (1999/C 13/013) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2055/98 by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE) to the Commission Subject: Possible dangers of phthalates contained in toys (7 July 1998) 1. Has the Commission any scientific evidence concerning the dangers of phthalates add to PVC in order to increase the flexibility of teething rings mounted on toys? 2. How does it consider that safety requirements can be reconciled with the social and economic interests of the industrial sector concerned? Joint answer to Written Questions E-0755/98, E-0830/98, E-0996/98, E-1536/98, E-1806/98 and E-2055/98 given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (20 July 1998) The Commission has been informed by some Member States, through notification of measures taken or planned, of risks for child health posed by certain child-care articles and toys in soft PVC containing phthalates. Following this information, the Commission has held consultations with the Member States on the nature of the risks in question and the measures to be taken. Due to the complexity of the scientific issues involved, the Commission has also consulted on the subject the scientific committee on toxicity, eco-toxicity and the environment (SCTEE) which has delivered an opinion on phthalates in PVC toys on 24 April 1998, completed by further clarifications on 16 June 1998. The SCTEE has noted that the use of toys and child-care articles in soft PVC containing phthalates involves an exposure of babies to such substances, which, based on the data available at present, may exceed, in the case of two of them (DINP and DEHP) the levels considered to be safe