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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 414/2 

21 July 2010

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 331/2010

Chile : Certification, Labelling and Safety Requirements for Toys

The Chilean Ministry of Health issued a Decree No. 47/2009 to announce its amendments to Decree No. 114/2005 "Regulations on Toys Safety" to require that toys imported into Chile must be accompanied by a certificate of compliance issued by the country of origin of the product stating that the chemicals contained in the merchandise do not exceed the limits stipulated in Decree No. 114/2005. The certificate of compliance must be supported by chemical analysis of the merchandise. The amended certification requirement for toys has become effective on 20 April 2010. Decree No. 47/2009 (in Spanish) is available at http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1007350&idParte=8791111&idVersion=2009-10-22.

DETAILS

  1. Specifically, the certificate of compliance must indicate, based on a chemical analysis, that (a) the residual concentration of toluene on the toy does not exceed 170 parts per million (170 milligrams of toluene per kilogram of the toy), as measured with the Head Space analytic method; and (b) the daily bioavailability of the heavy metals listed below as a result of toy use do not exceed the following limits:

  • antimony – 0.2 micrograms
     

  • arsenic – 0.1 micrograms
     

  • barium – 25 micrograms
     

  • cadmium – 0.6 micrograms
     

  • chromium – 0.3 micrograms
     

  • lead – 0.7 micrograms
     

  • mercury – 0.5 micrograms
     

  • selenium – 5 micrograms

  1. Decree No. 114/2005 sets forth Chilean safety and labelling requirements for toys. Some of the major requirements are summarised below:

  1. Toys are defined as any product conceived, intended or made for use by children under 14 years old for playing or entertainment purposes. 
     

  2. Toys must be designed and manufactured in such a way that minimises the risk of physical injury that may be caused by the movement of toy components or from contact with protruding edges, strings, wires and attachments. 
     

  3. Toys (including any detachable components and accessories) designed for children under three years old must be sufficiently large so as to avoid being swallowed or inhaled. 
     

  4. Toys with heat-generating components must comply with certain requirements regarding maximum temperature.
     

  5. Toys (such as costumes, tents, toy houses, masks and wigs, etc.) must be made with materials that do not burn when exposed to flames, sparks or any other fire source. If this is not feasible, these toys must be made with a slow-burning material with a low degree of flammability. 
     

  6. Toys must be designed and manufactured in such a way that their ingestion, inhalation or contact with the skin, mucus or eyes does not represent a hazard for children.
     

  7. Toys must not contain any hazardous substances that may have an adverse effect on the health of children. Such substances are allowed if they are essential for the operation of certain toys (e.g., materials and equipment for chemical experiments), provided certain conditions are met. 
     

  8. Solvents used in the production of toys must be removed from the finished product to prevent any residue from having an adverse effect on children's health.
     

  9. Toys that operate with electricity must not have an electrical current in excess of 24 volts. Toy parts or components that may come in contact with an electrical source must be appropriately protected and isolated. 
     

  10. The information included in toy labels or toy packaging must be accurate, stated in Spanish, and include the following information: (i) the generic name of the product when that product cannot be fully identified by the consumer; (ii) the name and address of the producer or importer; (iii) the country of origin; (iv) a caption or symbol indicating the manufacturer's recommended age for use of the product; and (v) the following warning whenever necessary - "advertencia, se debe utilizar bajo la vigilancia de un adulto" (warning, this product must be used under adult supervision).
     

  11. Toys that are clearly inappropriate for use by children under three years old must include the following warning: "ADVERTENCIA, NO APROPIADO PARA NIÑOS MENORES DE 3 AÑOS" (Warning, it is inappropriate for children under three years of age). Toys with small parts that can be ingested and/or inhaled by children under three years old must add the following statement to the previous warning: "CONTIENE PARTES PEQUEÑAS" (it contains small parts). 

  1. For details of the Chilean certification, labelling and other toys safety requirements, traders are advised to consult their importers in Chile and/or the relevant Decree No. 114/2005 (in Spanish) available at
    http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=239261&idParte=0&idVersion= .

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact Miss S Y TANG at telephone number 2398 5405.

Yours faithfully,




(Miss Bonny CHAO)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry