28% of dangerous items recalled last year were children’s toys

Almost 2,500 products, many of which were children's toys, were stopped before they entered the EU last year or removed from markets because they were dangerous. New figures released by the European Commission show that toys (28%) and clothing, textiles and fashion items (23%) were the two main product categories for which corrective measures had to be taken. Among the most frequently notified risks caused by these products were risk of injury, chemical risks and choking. The Rapid Alert System ensures that information about dangerous non-food products recalled anywhere in Europe is quickly circulated between Member States and the European Commission. In the 'Toys' category, there were 650 notifications in total, with a further 81 notifications under 'Childcare Articles'. When it comes to toys, the most common chemical risks notified in 2014 were related to a plastic softener, which can cause fertility problems. China remains the number one country of origin in the alert system.