Ministers face calls to ensure toys are free from 'forever chemicals'

The UK Government has been urged to act to protect children from playing with toys containing “forever chemicals”.

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(JOE GIDDENS/ PA WIRE)

Fifty scientists, academics and patient organisations have written to Kate Dearden, minister for consumer protection, warning that safety regulations in the UK could fall behind those protecting children in Europe.

‘This means British children could soon be playing with toys considered unsafe in the European Union, they said.

Examples can include hormone disrupting bisphenols found in teething toys and PFAS - known as “forever chemicals” because they take centuries to break down - found in polyurethane foam which is present in squishy toys such as balls and building blocks.

Experts have issued a warning that children are particularly vulnerable to harmful chemicals while they are still developing.

Professor Paul Fowler is chairman in Translational Medical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen.

Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “PFAS are increasingly associated with a wide range of adverse health effects, children are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects.