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Kids’ slime toys contain ‘dangerous levels of chemical that causes diarrhoea and harm to unborn babies’
MOST slime toys could contain dangerous levels of a chemical that could harm unborn babies, an investigation has revealed.
The toxin can also cause irritation, diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps as well as affect fertility, Which? experts warned today.
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Slime has proved to be one of the hottest toy trends of 2018, with millions of YouTube videos and social media posts dedicated to the phenomenon.
Given the scale of the craze, Which? decided to investigate, testing 11 toys on sale via Amazon, Smyths and The Works.
Their probe raised serious concerns, with eight out of the 11 products tested, showing unsafe levels of a chemical called boron.
Boron is found in borax, a common ingredient in slime that helps to create its stickiness.
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Exposure to high levels of the ingredient can cause nasty health problems, including diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps.
In the long-term, exposure to very high levels of the chemical can cause harm to an unborn baby and infertility, according to the European Commission.
Eight out of the 11 toy slime products tested exceeded the EU safe limit of 300mg/kg.
The worst product, Toysmith Jupiter Juice, had more than four times the permitted level of boron.
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This was followed by CCINEE Pink Fluffy Slime, which contains 1000mg/kg, and Cosoro Dodolu Crystal Slime Magic Clay, which contains 980mg/kg.
All eight products that failed were purchased on Amazon, who told The Sun they have since removed all products from sale.
Nikki Stopford, Director of Research and Publishing at Which?, said: “If you have school-age kids you're probably very well aware of the latest slime craze sweeping the playgrounds. Kids love it.
"Parents buying slime for their children should have peace of mind that these toys are safe, so they will be shocked to find that the health of their children could be put at risk by these slimes.
“There must be fundamental changes to the product safety system.
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"Manufacturers must stop making unsafe products and the Government and retailers simply have to do a far better job of getting anything identified as a risk off the shelves and out of people’s homes."
Just one product purchased from Amazon, Hulk Green Halloween Slime, met the standard.
Following the results, Which? is advising parents to approach all slime with caution, as many slimes have minimal safety labelling or information on ingredients.
Some of the slimes Which? tested even self-certified the packaging with a CE mark, suggesting the product is safe, despite the fact that the boron levels were too high when they were tested.
Two high street retailers, The Works and Smyths, both sell slime that was found to be within the safety limit when tested.
Which? has passed its findings to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
Anyone who owns one of the slimes that failed Which?’s testing should be able to return it to the retailer and get a refund.
Instagram sensation craftyslimecreator also known as Alyssa Jagan is a social media star due to her fun slime videos
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Although Amazon has now removed the potentially unsafe products from sale, the results raise concerns about the safety of some products sold through online platforms.
The consumer champion believes more must be done by retailers and the government to proactively identify potentially unsafe products and stop them from reaching people’s homes.
Parents need to be confident that the products they purchase will not harm them or their children, and if retailers cannot guarantee the safety of the products they stock, they have a duty of care to remove them from sale.
Producing 'homemade' slime is also a popular alternative, but parents should be careful when considering this option too.
This is because some ingredients listed for slime (such as some contact lens solutions) contain borax, and often slime recipes don't list the quantities that need to be added.
An Amazon spokesman told The Sun: "All Marketplace sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who don’t will be subject to action including potential removal of their account.
"The products in question are no longer available."
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