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According to UFC-Que Choisir, skin allergens, carcinogens and endocrine disruptors enter into the composition of the items that fill our children’s kit. Ballpoint pens would be particularly targeted.
Only a short week before the start of the school year, the news is not made to reassure parents: our children’s kit would be full of toxic compounds. This is the finding revealed today by UFC-Que Choisir which, 6 years after a first test, decided to analyze again the “basic” items that fill school kits: ballpoint pens, ink cartridges, highlighters , markers and colored pencils… Results? Out of 36 top-selling items analyzed, 40% contain toxic substances, such as allergenic carcinogens or endocrine disruptors.
Most ballpoint pens are problematic
In this analyzed panel, inks and ballpoint pens are the first to cause problems. Thus, the study tells us that in half of the inks tested there are allergens, in particular isothiazolinones, which are preservatives also used in cosmetics and detergents. These can cause allergic contact dermatitis. The highest levels are found among the “Stabilo Boss Original Fluo” references, “Pilot Kleer black” erasable ballpoint pens and “Pilot Frixion medium” rollerball pens.
But ballpoint pens accumulate defects. In the inks of 4 out of 6 ballpoint pens tested by the association, carcinogenic substances were also found. This concerns the black “Big “Original Crystal”, the “blue Paper Mate “Inkjoy” and the “black eco pack” purchased from B & M. A particularly alarming finding when we know the annoying habit of children and adolescents to chew their pens.
On the endocrine disruptor side, it is towards colored pencils that we must look: the association has discovered the presence of a phthalate considered “extremely worrying” in the varnish of Cultura colored pencils.
Too lax regulations with manufacturers
If the compositions tested prove to be dangerous, UFC-Que Choisir points above all to the responsibility of the authorities and manufacturers. 6 years after a first alert on their products, already launched by the association, it denounces the lack of efforts made. “When asked, the big brands answer that they do not have to inform about possible toxic substances since they are not subject to regulations”specifies Elisabeth Chesnais, journalist with UFC-Que Choisir.
This time, the consumer association is joined by the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses). They call on the European authorities to immediately extend the regulations that apply to toys to all school supplies.
And remember that some brands, especially distributors, often get better marks than products from major brands in the various tests.