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Only after nine months from publication of the sixth edition of the Japan Toy Safety Standard1 n6 m2 K% m# Y9 M+ I4 n) V
(ST-2002), the Japan Toy Association announced on 28 November 2008 about amendment of the" G) Z( x" Z; H C4 b3 u4 I
Standard for the seventh time. Toys that apply for the ST Mark of the Japan Toy Association
9 ?7 Q' y% ] r- N1 Z7 b(JTA) shall follow and comply with the new standard on or after 1 January 2009.
Z# U9 M* C, H1 FThe change relates only to Clause 1.1 of the standard where colouring matters that are produced9 l- ~) k+ J3 u# d/ b t9 a
by chemical synthesis and used on toys shall be selected from those substances as listed in
3 k5 h8 X p- |" p( F- eSchedule 1 of the Food Sanitation Law Enforcement Regulations of Japan or colour migration7 G. E7 ]. k/ T
should not be observed after testing. This requirement shall become applicable to:) {+ _; ]- o5 L4 H9 J: r4 g
(1) Toys intended for children of 14 years old and under (instead of “toys intended for
! P$ w* ~3 p6 c5 X2 t) O H) @children under 6 years of age” in previous edition);% C1 S# e& \/ n( m! n" `
(2) Exception is allowed for textile on toys intended for children over 3 years of age (instead0 M8 s# O. e. T! {: S5 k9 Y
of “over 3 years of age and under 6 years of age” in previous edition) where migration of! M4 a& b3 V; C! D1 d
colour should not be deeper than the colour of the solution which is three time as dense in
) F- Q0 T% A# o6 Fconcentration as the comparison standard./ [4 W9 W) M0 \4 E! j3 x
The lately change of the ST standard again brings in line with the latest interpretation of Food: @+ D" F: n$ ^. E! k3 \
Sanitation Law of Japan which has been effective on 1 October 2008. While the Food Sanitation# c/ {6 V3 p/ ~6 P3 n
Law is applicable to designated toys that are intended for infants and preschool children (children' Y' z" r7 T; A) p
under six years of age), it shall also be applicable to toys intended for higher age groups if there1 v" \6 G7 O3 |3 ^
are possibilities that the toys may cause damage to the health of children under six. Typical toy$ q [7 o' J" U" K1 Z; f: J
examples that fall in this category and subject to the legislative requirements include, but not
3 |' d1 t, H2 v* l# k- [+ Jlimited to, transformer toys, mechanical animal robots, board games with small accessories,7 D9 i1 A% }+ g) s6 |
trading cards with printed cartoon characters and food imitation toys.5 b1 A: _* p# d9 T, S
The new Japan Toy Safety Standard now covers a wider range of toy categories on toy safety up# y; U3 ~4 z/ K7 ~
to 14 years of age. This coupled with additional requirements including 8 toxic elements testing
) z( v( Z: y2 F0 A4 a; _; sfor paint coatings and prohibition of both DEHP & DINP in PVC items for children under three4 N) i: E" m8 i% d; L9 h5 C5 I# E
have made the standard more stringent than the Food Sanitation Law. Toys therefore complying p. u" d- K( i( R1 f
with the new Japan Toy Safety Standard shall be deemed to comply with the Food Sanitation
9 B2 o/ w5 m: n7 _Law as well. |
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