CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

Denmark: Government proposes amendment to the Order on phthalates ban in toys and childcare articles 

MAY 2020 – RELEVANT FOR: TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

The Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark has recently published a draft Order on the ban on phthalates in toys and childcare articles¹. This Order will amend and replace Statutory Order No. 855 of 5 September 2009² from 1 July 2020. The consultation has begun and will end on 27 May 2020.

The proposed Order includes a new paragraph to exclude phthalates that are regulated by entry 51 and 52 of Annex XVII to REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. 

At present in Denmark, it is prohibited to manufacture, import and sell toys and certain childcare articles for children under 3 years of age containing phthalates in concentration above 500 mg/kg; six REACH-restricted phthalates are not covered by the Order: DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, DNOP. Since the entries in REACH Regulation were amended with the addition of diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) in December 2018³, Danish national phthalates ban needs to be revised for alignment; DIBP will be excluded from the Order.

[1] Draft Order on the ban on phthalates in toys and childcare articles

[2] Statutory Order No. 855 of 5 September 2009

[3] EU REACH Annex XVII: Amendment of phthalate restriction published, December 2018