Chinese toys toxic, says health ministry

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Be careful - of toys your kids use!

NEW DELHI: The health ministry has confirmed that several Chinese toys being sold in the market are highly toxic as they contain high levels of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, and were, therefore, harmful to children. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha to a question by film star and former Union health minister Shatrughan Sinha, minister of state for health Panabaka Lakshmi confirmed reports appearing in newspapers about toxic toys from China. She said, " according to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), NGO Toxics Link had conducted a study in 2006 which examined toys from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, and reported high levels of cadmium and lead in PVC used in soft toys. " She said that most of the toys in Chennai and Mumbai were being imported from China. Lead is a known neuro and hamatological toxin which can lead to delayed development and lower IQ in children. Cadmium is one of the heavy metals which has its primary effect on kidneys. The minister said that as regards safety requirement for toys, the Bureau of Indian Standards has published three standards.