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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
Ibi, Alicante, Spain, 2010/06/14 - Colortec, AIJU & IISG generate new reference materials to apply in the toy sector. Those allow comparatively validate the used analytical technique to assess the chemical safety of a product - Colortecquimica.es.
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Consumer society progressively asks for higher safety guarantees of the consumer products, specially relating its chemical composition. One of the sectors with higher safety requirements, due to its vulnerability, is the toy sector which applying legislation has a high level of exigency in Europe. As a proof of that can be mentioned the continuous innovations and extensions of both, the Directives (currently Directive on Toy Safety, 2009/48/CE, that reinforces the required chemical safety requirements) and the Regulations of application. In this aspect can be mentioned REACH regulation, in force from June 2007, which regulates de manufacturing, commercialization and use of chemical products in European Market.
In order to verify the chemical composition of a toy it is controlled the bioavailability of those elements considered as toxics. This bioavailability is determined by the migration of those elements from the toy matrix to its surface. The certified reference materials are used as validators of the analytical techniques employed for their determination. Luisa Marín, project coordinator at AJU establishes that “The employ of these reference materials for comparative issues at the time of undertaking the test of the product will avoid the necessity of carrying out a more specific analysis, if the preliminary result do not shows the presence of the toxic element searched in the test. This optimization will contribute to enhance the product control efficiency and, consequently, its safety and quality”.
One of the main problems in the certified reference materials, in the specific case of the migration test, is the short supply available in the market and their high cost. This is one of the factors that pushed Colortec Química, S.L., together with AIJU and IISG, to develop a project for the preparation of polymeric materials able to be used as certified reference materials for the toxic elements migration test in toys and childcare articles according to the requirements established by the new Directive.
This project is carried out in the Framework of EUROSTARS European program (Eureka initiative and the European Commission). It helps SMEs that carry out R+D tasks to develop transnational projects market oriented, thus driving the European enterprises competitiveness by undertaken technological projects. In Spain, the projects of this program are managed by the Science and Innovation Ministry, through CDTI, Center for the Industrial Technological Development, within the funding program Inter-enterprises International.
About the Consortium
This project is being carried out by Colortec Chemical, S.L., founded in the middles 80 and due to the chemical industry. It is devoted to the design and development of bespoke pigments and dyes, its production and commercialization as well as the commercialization of other additive for plastics. Must be underlined its work in the toy industry and childcare articles sectors.
Collaborating with Colortec Química, S.L. (colortecquimica.es), participate in the project AIJU, on one side, as the Toy Research Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to enterprises from the toy and childcare articles that require scientific and technical services. And on the other side, the Italian company IISG, Italian referee for the Toys safety, private company active since 1978 made by engineers, chemical and technicians, leader in toy safety and childcare articles certifying.
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