A Delhi-based NGO center for Science and Environment has found that toys found in the Indian Market contains dangerous pthalates. These can cause serious health dis-order such as asthma, Skeletal defects, impair lungs and damage male protective systems. And many of the toys have crossed the limit by as much as 60-160 times. Majority of Chinese (57%), Taiwanese (100%) toys had breached this limit. India had earlier put restrictions on import of Chinese toys if they fail to confirm the voluntary Indian Standards. Important to note that majority of Indian toys would also not meet these standards but the Indian Toy association claims something contrary.
Our View: We should be fast enough to bring in standards and make Industry to comply to such norms. As it is very dangerous in the long term. Apart from pthalates there are many chemical that can harm our children. If the industry is not able to meet the standards due to cost implications, then government can think of giving them tax rebates to help them comply. If still they are not meet their costs then producers should pass on the costs to final customers. We can think spending of R&D of better, smarter materials; those can be reused leading to cost reduction. Also, we should realize the importance of re-using the same toys as is done in a Toy Library. Finally, we should quickly move towards a safer toy industry for kids.