Toxic and hazardous toys still being sold

SOUTH Africans should be on the lookout for hazardous toys - some of them highly flammable - the authorities warned this week.

This comes amid the latest police figures showing an avalanche of illegal goods seized by border patrol units, including illegal electronic goods, cigarettes, drugs, boating equipment and shark fins.

Many hazardous items are for sale in the informal market and online, prompting the adoption of international safety standards as a guideline for retailers, according to the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

Potentially hazardous toys identified by the SABS include:

•  Items worn on the head such as beards, moustaches, wigs, etc., moulded and fabric masks; hoods, head-dresses;
•  Toy disguise costumes and toys intended to be worn by a child in a play;
•  Toys intended to be entered by a child i.e. jungle gyms and play areas; and,
•  Soft-filled toys (animals and dolls, etc.) with a piled surface or textile surface.

The SABS said the new guidelines would force retailers to subject all their toys to quality tests and controls.

SABS standards executive Sadhvir Bissoon said the aim of introducing the standards was to "reduce risks when playing with toys".

He added: "However, it has to be recognised that some toys have risks inherent in their use and make which cannot be avoided. Therefore, the standards do not eliminate parental responsibility for selecting the appropriate toys for children".

He said parents must always look out for the SABS mark of approval "for quality assurance and peace of mind".

Meanwhile, police and SARS figures released this week illustrate the extent of contraband entering the country.

Raids carried out by the revenue service officials during the past financial year netted 20000 seizures of goods valued at close to R1-billion. These included:

•  260 tons of second-hand clothing;
•  R100-million worth of contraband cigarettes; and
•  Two tons of hard drugs.