Finnish tests find no actionable chemical levels in squishy toys

Finland’s Safety and Chemicals Agency found no levels of banned or harmful chemicals in nine tested squishy toys that would allow it to intervene under current laws, Yle reports. The agency had received dozens of complaints about the toys’ strong smell.

The tests found no difference between toys bought from Finnish shops and those ordered online from abroad. The agency’s senior inspector, Johanna Rajasärkkä, cautioned that the sample of nine toys was relatively small.

The smell may come from volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, released by the toys. The agency recommends airing a toy in a well-ventilated space before use if it has a strong smell, allowing the chemicals to disperse.

Rajasärkkä said the toys’ current popularity may be one reason for the large number of complaints. The time from factory to shop shelf is short, she said, and it takes some time for the substances to evaporate.

Authorities in the Netherlands have also tested squishy toys. Based on current knowledge, the most commonly detected volatile substances in that testing do not pose a health risk.

The European Union is conducting a risk assessment of volatile substances in squishy toys, with the aim of setting limits. Rajasärkkä said it is not yet known what those limits will be or whether toys currently on sale would meet them.

Manufacturers and sellers are responsible for ensuring toy safety. Kesko quality and product development manager Timo Kivi said the company sells around 20 kinds of squishy toys in its Citymarket stores. He said the EU importer is responsible for product labelling, while Kesko, as a distributor, must check that packaging labels are in order. The company monitors EU-wide product recalls and will act if safety problems are found. Yle was unable to get a comment from S Group.