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Toying Agarwal
Toying Agarwal
Ravi Agarwal
Toxics Link
www.toxicslink.org
*(pl. see website for full report)
Global Toy Market
IFCS Forum V 2
Indian Toy Market
• Unorganized sector dominates.
• estimated US $1.0 billion organized sector
• US$1.5 billion - unorganized sector.
• More than 1000 units in the small-scale sector
larger number in the cottage sector.
• Large players like like Mattel, Lego, Funskool
also present
• Soft toys account for 35% of total
production of toys. Mumbai and Delhi - 95% of the
toy output
• Imports flood cheap toys market (est but
unconfirmed >70 %)
IFCS Forum V 3
Users of low cost soft toys :
Urban Poor - Children
In India
• nearly 130 million children below six years of age
• More than 6 million children in urban slums
• Hence every sixth urban child in the age group 0-
6yrs a slum dweller.
0 - 6yrs
• Greater Mumbai - 0.86 million (13.2 % of city’s total
child population )
• Delhi - 0.3 million (16.2 % of city’s total child
population )
• Chennai - 11.5% (of city’s total child population)
IFCS Forum V 4
Soft Plastic Toys
• Cheap
• Unlabelled
• Mostly plastic and PVC
• Vividly painted, pigmented
IFCS Forum V 5
Soft Plastic Toys
IFCS Forum V 6
Usage practices
IFCS Forum V 7
Study Objectives
IFCS Forum V 8
Sampling
IFCS Forum V 9
Sampling Locations
IFCS Forum V 10
Lab Tests*
IFCS Forum V 11
Key Findings
Range
Lead- 0.65 ppm to 2104 ppm
Cadmium - 0.016 ppm to 188 ppm.
Lead exceeds US EPA* and CPSC
Standards**
• Total lead standards as defined by these agencies
• EPA 600 ppm in painted toys
• CPSC 200 ppm in vinyl blinds
IFCS Forum V 13
Comments
• Total exposure to children not accounted for, along with other chemicals
leaching.
IFCS Forum V 14
Comments
IFCS Forum V 15
Recommendations
• The present study clearly demonstrates that PVC toys in India do
contain lead and cadmium. Some even have very high concentrations.
IFCS Forum V 16