Just as many other people, it can be safely assumed that the operators of most of these schools are not aware that such toys are toxic and could be dangerous for children. The toys are highly contaminated with harmful chemicals that can cause death of children, according to health experts. [break]
A recent report released by Center for Public Health and Environment Development (CEPHED) says the toys contain deadly chemicals like lead, mercury, chromium and bromine.
The report, titled ´Study of heavy metals in children´s toy and campaign for safe play in Nepal´, reveals that most stores are selling toys that are toxic and dangerous.
The research was conducted on 100 samples collected from footpaths, educational enterprises, supermarket, departmental stores, toy shops from various places like Asan, Mahaboudha, Banepa, Pulchowk, Koteshwar, Lagankhel, Gowarko, Jaulakhel Patan, Mahapal Patan and New Baneshwar.
"While collecting the samples we tried to include wide range of toys in terms of color, composition, materials and country of manufacture," says Ram Charitra Sah, executive director of CEPHED. "We were shocked by the results that showed that children are exposed to higher levels of toxic chemicals."
According to the research report, 54 percent of the toys sold in the market contain toxic chemicals that pose grave risk to children´s health. Among the 100 samples, 28 toys were contaminated with lead, 1 with mercury, 9 with cadmium, 14 with chromium and 40 toys with bromine.
These samples were tested in Nepal Handicraft Association Lab of Nepal Bureau of Standard and Metrology (NBSM) using XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) Spectroscopy. XRF employs elemental analysis technique with broad application in science and industry.
According to Sah, there is lack of oversight in the import, sale, purchase and uses of such toys in the country. Likewise, the widespread use of such harmful chemical laden toys at schools points at absence of designated government agency to regulate children products such as toys.
As per the research, most samples were manufactured in China, India, Nepal, Thailand, while the origination of some of the products could not be identified as they were not marked with the details.
The toys were composed of different materials such as plastic (63%), metal (11%), wood (9%), rubber (7%), fabric (4%), clay (3), foam (2%) and paper (1%).
But many kindergarten schools in the capital refuse to accept the findings of the research. The schools insist that their toys are safe as they buy their toys from department stores and malls.
"We buy toys from Soft Toy, which is regarded as one of the best stores for toys in the capital," says Anu Rai, principal of Angel Montessori at Dhapaai. "We only buy toys with labels that say they are safe to use."
Similarly, Kusum Maharjan, principal of Blooming Buds Montessori, claims that she imports toys from other countries and they are not toxic.
"We import toy from China and every toy comes with a label that says they are not toxic," says Maharjan. "In such situation, how do we know which toys are toxic? We do not have machines that can check toxicity of toys."
Like them many Montessori´s schools uses huge number of toys in order to handle the children. For long time the children use to play with the toys at such schools. And sometime while playing with the toys most of children use to chew the toys which directly expose the children with the toxics toys.
According to health experts, continuous exposure to such chemicals can have negative effect on human health, especially, on children´s health. It hampers children´s mental and physical growth.
"Chemicals like lead, mercury, chromium and bromine must be kept away from children," says Dr Dhan Raj Aryal, chief consultant pediatrician. "Children often put the toys into their mouth and lick their hands after playing with the toys, which directly expose them to such chemicals. Such exposures over a period can hamper their physical, mental and intellectual growth."
According to health experts, chemicals like lead can cause problem in brain development and if it´s high presence in human body can damage the brain. Likewise, long-term exposure to cadmium can cause cancer. And mercury can damage different parts of human body like nerves, brain, lungs, skin, among others. Similarly, chromium can cause allergic reactions, such as skin rash. It also creates problem in breathing and cause nosebleeds. Chromium can also weaken immune system of the human body. Bromine causes irritation of eyes and throat.
But children at many kindergarten schools continue to play with harmful toys. The schools, institutions that govern them and the government have shown no interest so far to ban such chemical-laced toys from schools.
"One of the harmful chemicals, mercury has already been banned by the government," says Dr Praveen Mishra, secretary at the Ministry of Health and population. "The market monitoring committee will look into it and come up with a solution."
"Now, the concerned ministry should come up with a regulation to address the problem," says Ram Adhar Sah, director general of NBSM. "Only this regulation and standard are the solutions in order to control such chemical contaminated toys in Nepal which is not only dangerous for the children but contribute to pollute the whole environment."
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