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Squishy toys and wax-shell putty balls popular among children were found to contain harmful substances at levels up to 176 times the safety standard, Seoul city said.
Harmful Substances in Squishy Toys, Wax Balls — Some Exceed Limits 164 Times
Tests on 20 products labeled “for ages 14 and up” and sold on overseas online platforms and at domestic stationery stores found harmful substances or physical safety problems in seven of them, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 31st.
The products tested included 13 tactile toys, three party goods, two keyrings, one sticker and one acrylic marker. All were labeled for users aged 14 and above, meaning they are not subject to mandatory KC certification.
The city said that although the items were labeled for ages 14 and up, children were highly likely to use them in practice. It therefore ran comparative tests against the standards for children’s products for ages 8 and above.
Of the seven products found to have problems, tactile toys accounted for five, the largest share, with one problem each identified in a sticker and a keycap keyring.
In three tactile products, including squishy toys and wax-shell putty balls, phthalate plasticizers — which can disrupt the endocrine system — were measured at up to 164.2 times the standard on surfaces and decorative parts. The same substance was detected in some packaging at 142.7 times the limit, along with cadmium at 1.5 times.
In migration tests simulating a child putting a product in the mouth, formaldehyde, methanol and boron exceeded standard values by up to 2.3 times in two products. One wax-shell putty ball, in which the wax shell is cracked open to reach the clay inside, was also found to contain the preservatives CMIT and MIT, which cannot be used in toys for children under 3. Both substances are known to irritate the skin and eyes.
The highest levels of harmful substances among the tested products were found in a sticker. Phthalate plasticizers on the transparent adhesive backing measured 176 times the standard, and cadmium five times.
Sticker at 176 Times the Limit, Keyring Loses Its Battery
Physical hazards emerged alongside chemical ones. A small battery came loose from one keycap keyring during a tensile test. Toys for children are subject to separate safety requirements to keep batteries out of easy reach, because a child who swallows one can be seriously harmed.
The city stressed, however, that the tests were not intended to legally determine whether the items qualify as children’s products or to rule them compliant or non-compliant. It said the tests compared the products with children’s product standards in view of the likelihood that children would use them, even though they are labeled for ages 14 and up.
The city has urged online platforms to halt sales of the overseas-purchased products that exceeded the standards. It also issued notices through elementary school newsletters and information materials in the toy district of Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, urging shoppers to check age ratings, KC marks and precautions.
The city also flagged its next round of testing. In September, it plans to examine children’s school supplies and backpacks sold on overseas online platforms.