Dangerous. Toys
Dangerous. ToysChen Leopold/Flash 90

At the Beer Sheva Conference for Children’s Welfare held on Monday at Ben Gurion University, a special meeting took place about dangerous materials in children’s products.

Within the context of the meeting, Dr. Tamar Berman, head technologist for health and environment at the Health Ministry, said that “the Economy Ministry has regulations for many toys, but for others, such as jewelry with dangerous paint, glitters and products made of bamboo - there are no regulations at all.”

She said, rather, that policy is voluntary and not necessarily enforced by the Economy Ministry.

“The Health Ministry can recommend, request, plead, but the decision belongs to the Economy Ministry, and today, practically speaking, there is children’s jewelry which includes poisonous materials.”

Vadmilla Naiman, senior director of chemistry at the economics ministry, confirmed the details, and said, “There will always be a need for additional protocols. Today, there indeed are not protocols regarding jewelry, this is a new initiative and the Economy Ministry is trying to speed up the process.”

Dr. Rut Astrin, head of the Health and Environment Fund, added that children in Israel are exposed to more metals and chemicals than children in Europe and the US. She said the responsibility cannot rest on the parents. “There is a need for more fitting regulation and fitting policy from the Economy Ministry.”

Attorney Vered Vindman, Chairman of the Council for Children’s Welfare, said that “It is not possible to be reconciled with a situation in which the Health Ministry says that there are children’s products that include poisonous materials, and on the other hand there is no obligating policy for all children’s products. The Health Ministry and Economy Ministry must act together to create an obligating and comprehensive policy system that will prevent in advance children’s exposure to poisonous materials.”