{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/toys-safety-regulations-1989/schedule-2/part-II./paragraph-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/toys-safety-regulations-1989/schedule-2/part-II./paragraph-3.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1989/1275",
  "legislation_title": "The Toys (Safety) Regulations 1989",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/toys-safety-regulations-1989",
  "path": "schedule/2/part/II./paragraph/3",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": "Chemical properties",
  "text": "1. Toys must be so designed and constructed that, when used as specified in Article 2(1) of the Directive, they do not present health hazards or risks of physical injury by ingestion, inhalation or contact with the skin, mucous tissues or eyes.They must in all cases comply with the relevant Community legislation relating to certain categories of products or to the prohibition, restriction of use or labelling of certain dangerous substances and preparations.\n2. In particular, for the protection of children’s health, bioavailability resulting from the use of toys must not, as an objective, exceed the following levels per day:\n0, 2 μg for antimony,\n0, 1 μg for arsenic,\n25, 0 μg for barium,\n0, 6 μg for cadmium,\n0, 3 μg for chromium,\n0, 7 μg for lead,\n0, 5 μg for mercury,\n5, 0 μg for selenium,\nor such other values as may be laid down for these or other substances in Community legislation based on scientific evidence.\nThe bioavailability of these substances means the soluble extract having toxicological significance.\n3. Toys must not contain dangerous substances or preparations within the meaning of Directives 67/548/EEC and 88/379/EEC in amounts which may harm the health of children using them. At all events it is strictly forbidden to include, in a toy, dangerous substances or preparations if they are intended to be used as such while the toy is being used.\nHowever, where a limited number of substances or preparations are essential to the functioning of certain toys, in particular materials and equipment for chemistry experiments, model assembly, plastic or ceramic moulding, enamelling, photography or similar activities, they are permitted up to a maximum concentration level to be defined for each substance or preparation by mandate to the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) according to the procedure of the committee set up by Directive 83/189/EEC, provided the permitted substances and preparations comply with the Community classification rules in respect of labelling, without prejudice to point 4 of Annex IV.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "i.e. when they are used as intended to be used or in a foreseeable way bearing in mind the normal behaviour of children of less than 14 years of age."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "OJ No. L187, 16.7.1988, p 14."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1275/schedule/2/part/II./paragraph/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T15:40:17.176564+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}