Toxic watchdog group BAN Toxics warns the public against the selling of unregistered and unnotified children’s products such as modeling clay toys in the market.
BAN Toxics managed to purchase 8D Super Light Modeling Clay Toy, priced at P65 pesos per pack at M. de Santos Street, Divisoria, Manila. The clay toy failed the necessary labeling requirements and may not have undergone and passed health and safety standards in the country.Last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued (2) two Public Health Advisories, namely: FDA Advisory No. 2022-0816 and FDA Advisory No. 2022-1287, warning the public from purchasing and using unnotified toy and childcare article (TCCA) product – modeling clay toys.
Citing the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 or Republic Act No. 9711, the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising, or sponsorship of any health product without the proper authorization from the FDA is prohibited.
Potential hazards may come from ingredients that are not allowed to be part of a toy and childcare article product. The use of substandard and possibly adulterated toy and childcare article products may result in health risks including, but not limited to, endocrine disruption and reproductive or development effects; or may result in injury, choking or suffocation due to its small or broken parts.
“Popular toys like modeling clay should have gone through the health and safety process of our regulatory agency. The consumers have the Right-to-Know that only safe toys are being sold in the market to minimize health risks and prevent exposure to toxic chemicals, said Thony Dizon, Toxics Campaigner of BAN Toxics.
According to the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Law – Republic Act No. 10620, the State shall ensure the protection of children against potential hazards to their health and safety by requiring special labeling of toys and games. To guarantee the rights of children to protection and safety, the State shall provide a means of redress for violation of said rights.
“As part of our Safe Toys for Kids Campaign, we will continue to raise public awareness against unlabeled and unnotified TCCA products to protect the consumers, especially children from toxic harm,” added BAN Toxics.
BAN Toxics encourages consumers to file a report to FDA of any sale, distribution, complaint and/or adverse event on the use of the violative toy and childcare articles through the online reporting facility ereport@fda.gov.ph, or call the Center for Cosmetics and Household/Urban Hazardous Substances Regulation and Research (CCHUHSRR) hotline (02) 8857-1900 loc. 8113 or 8107.
