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Only after nine months from publication of the sixth edition of the Japan Toy Safety Standard
! j% {' }3 ~( I9 k: [(ST-2002), the Japan Toy Association announced on 28 November 2008 about amendment of the
$ D* r" ?2 d+ ~# X) `# }+ eStandard for the seventh time. Toys that apply for the ST Mark of the Japan Toy Association
( {+ n+ `( f4 ^(JTA) shall follow and comply with the new standard on or after 1 January 2009.+ _4 u, _# k N1 w
The change relates only to Clause 1.1 of the standard where colouring matters that are produced/ x3 L+ h" Q2 c( q ?) r
by chemical synthesis and used on toys shall be selected from those substances as listed in
4 W( J- q3 ^1 { I0 WSchedule 1 of the Food Sanitation Law Enforcement Regulations of Japan or colour migration
, g& E* G+ o! G Sshould not be observed after testing. This requirement shall become applicable to:# \) u- y. l8 o5 H
(1) Toys intended for children of 14 years old and under (instead of “toys intended for, S* J) N" S! z' ^* A
children under 6 years of age” in previous edition);8 i8 B; G/ F: T( V
(2) Exception is allowed for textile on toys intended for children over 3 years of age (instead
9 r! Z; K8 k: l7 b1 H& Tof “over 3 years of age and under 6 years of age” in previous edition) where migration of( Z" u" }$ y# j6 U% r+ ~
colour should not be deeper than the colour of the solution which is three time as dense in
% k k. a# ]; Q3 {, W4 I" K7 @5 bconcentration as the comparison standard.
( l/ C M* {) `4 q; HThe lately change of the ST standard again brings in line with the latest interpretation of Food
! w# @' K5 J' J7 q% }5 K; F# ESanitation Law of Japan which has been effective on 1 October 2008. While the Food Sanitation+ n' {6 b8 q; G( l$ b
Law is applicable to designated toys that are intended for infants and preschool children (children
$ N9 d5 f1 ?* W( [8 N7 S& Runder six years of age), it shall also be applicable to toys intended for higher age groups if there3 C9 S% }- M5 ?* X6 s! k: o
are possibilities that the toys may cause damage to the health of children under six. Typical toy
" }' _& r6 H1 M- E: n; M8 Sexamples that fall in this category and subject to the legislative requirements include, but not
- _/ y- d7 p' i& J' plimited to, transformer toys, mechanical animal robots, board games with small accessories,
" P+ q X }- Z+ o0 S1 `+ [trading cards with printed cartoon characters and food imitation toys.3 E V4 n* |; P3 {% T
The new Japan Toy Safety Standard now covers a wider range of toy categories on toy safety up
0 N. C/ j! u5 A1 ^" rto 14 years of age. This coupled with additional requirements including 8 toxic elements testing- U( F/ s3 g6 M( t; ~1 o; H
for paint coatings and prohibition of both DEHP & DINP in PVC items for children under three
r9 O4 Z4 E; \have made the standard more stringent than the Food Sanitation Law. Toys therefore complying
1 W5 Z# P* e! qwith the new Japan Toy Safety Standard shall be deemed to comply with the Food Sanitation
2 U# P6 q0 a/ R+ SLaw as well. |
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