Plastic toys in Bangladesh contain alarming levels of toxic metals: Study
This alarming feature came out in a study by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO), which has found that plastic toys in Bangladesh contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals, including lead, mercury and cadmium, much beyond the acceptable levels
When Fardeen Zayeed turned four, his mother bought her only child a packet of Lego blocks. The small boy has small toy cars, plastic flutes, and many more plastic toys to play with.
"Fardeen starts to make a building, breaks it, and sometimes he licks it," said Fardeen's mother. She does not care much about the quality of the plastic toys.
Tens of thousands of children like Fardeen are fond of plastic toys, which play an important role in their mental development, but which at the same time pose serious health hazards to them.
This alarming feature came out in a study by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO), which has found that plastic toys in Bangladesh contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals, including lead, mercury and cadmium, much beyond the acceptable levels.
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The study was presented at a press conference in the capital yesterday.
The regulatory body of the European Union sets the standard of lead in toys at a maximum of 13.5 (parts-per-million) ppm while mercury at 7.5 ppm and cadmium at 1.9 ppm.
But the ESDO study found that toys in Bangladesh markets contain on average lead concentrations of 65.85 ppm, surpassing the acceptable limit by about 5 times. Mercury levels were found to be 30.6 ppm, exceeding the limit by 4 times, while cadmium levels were as high as 28.65 ppm, surpassing the limit by an alarming 15 times.
ESDO collected toy samples from different areas of the city, including Dhanmondi's Orchid Plaza and Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar. The selection was based on the country of origin, colour and composition.
Lead is typically found in soft plastic toys and/or in toy paint. Lead softens the plastic to make it more flexible. Lead can cause impaired IQ and cognitive function, behavioural and growth problems and anaemia.
Mercury is used in inks and adhesives, while cadmium is easily available. Mercury can cause neurological effects, cognitive deficits, kidney damage and respiratory effects.
Cadmium, which is used to strengthen metal alloys in toys, can cause developmental, gastrointestinal and bone and kidney damage.
"It is crucial that all parties involved in children's toy production, distribution, and use acknowledge the importance of lead contamination and work together to guarantee child safety," said Syed Marghub Murshed, chairperson of ESDO.
The plastic toys market in Bangladesh is mainly based on the import of Chinese, Thai and Brazilian toys. However, with the expanding trend of the plastic toys market in the country, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs are also making plastic toys.
Shahjahan Majumder, president of the Bangladesh Toy Merchants Manufacturers and Importers Association, said that the market size of the toy industry is no less than Tk6,000 crore.
"In the past small children used to get terracotta toys like horses, elephants and many other animal figures. That culture has already gone. Plastic toys are now dominating the markets," he said.
The report highlights the hidden risks of heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and mercury, present in children's toys. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has labelled these heavy metals as hazardous. The presence of heavy metals is worrisome for all, but particularly for children under six.
Professor Abdul Hashem, former chairman of the Department of Chemistry of Jahangirnagar University and technical adviser of ESDO, said that ESDO wants to raise awareness about the situation that children are going through.
"We want the government to ban the sale of harmful products and then set a standard to allow to import or make standard children's toys and regulate it", said Professor Hashem.
Bangladesh has enacted a law limiting lead in decorative paints to 90ppm. However, Bangladesh has no policy on industrial paint.
"The colours used in toys are mainly industrial paints. Therefore, the standard concentration of lead in industrial paints needs to be addressed soon and stringent legislation is required to control it," said Siddika Sultana, executive director of ESDO.
Shahriar Hossain, secretary general of ESDO, said that lead, mercury and cadmium are highly toxic metals that can harm human organs and systems when ingested or handled.
"I don't think we should give especially low-priced plastic toys to our children," said Shahriar Hossain.
