Slime toys could be poisonous to children because of high levels of boron
Written by News on 17/07/2018
Parents have been warned about high levels of chemicals in some slime toys.
There are fears that some of the slime products marketed at children may contain up to four times the legally allowed amount of a chemical that can cause convulsions and sickness.
Consumer group Which? tested 11 products, and found that eight of them breached EU regulations on the amount of boron they contain.
Boron is found in borax, the ingredient commonly used in slime manufacture to give the product its stickiness.
Which? said that Toysmith Jupiter Juice contained 1,400mg/kg of boron – more than four times the permitted level.
This was followed by CCINEE Pink Fluffy Slime, which contained 1,000mg/kg, and Cosoro Dodolu Crystal Slime Magic Clay, which contained 980mg/kg.
One product purchased on the online marketplace, Hulk Green Halloween Slime, met the standard.
Slime from high street retailers, The Works and Smyths, were also found to be safe.
Large quantities of boron can be poisonous. Symptoms include skin inflammation and peeling, tremors, convulsions, headaches, diarrhoea, vomiting, and even depression.
Nikki Stopford, director of research and publishing at Which?, said: “Parents buying slime for their children should have peace of mind that these toys are safe, so they will be shocked to find that the health of their children could be put at risk by these slimes.
“There must be fundamental changes to the product safety system.
“Manufacturers must stop making unsafe products and the government and retailers simply have to do a far better job of getting anything identified as a risk off the shelves and out of people’s homes.”
All the products which failed the tests were bought from the online retailer Amazon. All have now been removed from their UK website, although some are still available from the US site.
An Amazon spokesperson said: “All Marketplace sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who don’t will be subject to action including potential removal of their account.
“The products in question are no longer available.”
The British Toy and Hobby Association said not all toys sold in the UK have been made following the “stringent rules of the Toy Safety Directive”.
The toys tested by Which? have highlighted this issue, but “there are a large number of substances that are restricted from being used in toys for safety reasons”, it said in a statement.
It advises shoppers to look for reputable toy makers and retailers – many of which can be found on the BTHA website – and to check reviews and the brand’s track record in selling toys.
“If something looks too good to be true – particularly on price – it probably is,” it added.
(c) Sky News 2018: Slime toys could be poisonous to children because of high levels of boron
