Pens and paints: toxic to children?

Children put pen or chalk in their mouths while painting. Can you poison yourself from the colors? How limit values ​​are set for substances – for example currently for lead?

Product safety: the manufacturer is responsible

Possible long-term effects could be problematic with painting utensils. Legal requirements are intended to protect consumers from this. For certain substances that are assessed as critical, the state also sets limit values. With toys, these include carcinogenic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, primary aromatic amines, heavy metals and allergy-causing substances such as nickel or fragrances and some preservatives. The limits are stricter than many other products to protect children’s health. Parents must monitor their kids when doing artwork while checking promo codes in slotbooster.

New findings: limit values ​​can change

And how do the limit values ​​come about? The amount of a substance that is harmful is determined in animal experiments. A harmless amount is derived from this that a person can ingest over his lifetime then it must be checked from which sources the person absorbs the substance. And on the basis of this, an estimate is made of the maximum percentage he can absorb from the respective product.

In the event of serious defects, recall state warnings

For example, the quality of products sold in Germany is considered good. But as with all other product groups, there are outliers. The manufacturer must carry out a risk assessment for his products – either in his own company or by an external testing company. The state control bodies must check the art products for children regularly.

Tip: prefer products with a seal

Parents must use their nose when buying. It is recommended that they buy products with an additional test seal. The criteria for awarding these seals are sometimes stricter than those specified in the directives for toys for children. Finger paints are suitable even for small children.

What to do in an emergency

How should parents react when their child has consumed paint? The important thing is to never induce vomiting. Instead, the following applies: water-miscible and water-soluble colors are usually unproblematic. The child should then drink plenty of water unless the doctor advises otherwise.

 

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