Credit: ILNAS
ILNAS, the competent authority for toy safety in Luxembourg, has issued a warning over certain "slime" type products that are potentially toxic.
The products in question are elastic coloured pastes, from thick to liquid and/or gooey consistency and are currently widely used in commerce. The slime toys have proven very popular among young people. However, analyses by ILNAS and the National Health Laboratory (LNS) have found that the boron (chemical element giving the item its elasticity and sticky consistency) content of many of these products was both very high and largely outdated.
In fact, the regular handling of slime-type toys by children can, due to prolonged contact with their skin, cause allergies and irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes, whilst ingestion can cause digestive and neurological (cramps) problems as well as negative effects on the liver, pancreas and kidneys. In the longer term, boron can cause reproductive disorders by affecting the fertility and development of the unborn child.
For the details of slime toys prohibited for sale, consult the alerts published on the regularly updated site https://portail-qualite.public.lu/fr/alertes.html.
ILNAS analyses are still ongoing. Other slime-type toys are likely to be added to the list of banned products.
