A TEST of 50 toys in Singapore - some of them bought in well-known stores - found that nearly half had excessive amounts of toxic chemicals which can cause severe health problems in children.

The consumer group that commissioned the test said it highlighted the need for more regulation in Singapore to safeguard toys and consumer products.

Of the 23 that failed the test, at least half of them carried the CE mark, a declaration by the manufacturer that a product meets European Union health and safety requirements.

The findings, revealed yesterday by the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), have led to top retailers pulling the 23 off their shelves. All were made in China, mostly for brands that are not well-known here.

Case commissioned the test when 17 children were hospitalised in February with vomiting and diarrhoea after playing with a toy that contained excessive levels of phthalates, a chemical often found in plastics to increase their flexibility.

The association has been lobbying for more stringent product safety regulations for at least five years, said Case president Yeo Guat Kwang.

The results of the test confirmed their worries that not enough is being done to keep out toxic toys, he said.

For the test which was conducted from March to July this year, the testers chose toys that were brightly coloured or malleable, signs that they could contain excessive amounts of lead in the paint, and phthalates.

Excessive lead may cause problems in children's nervous systems, muscles and intestines, and lead to learning disabilities, speech problems and decreases in muscle and bone growth. Excessive phthalates may cause reproductive, endocrine and metabolic problems.

Most of the toxic toys were sold by top retailers such as FairPrice , Carrefour and Giant supermarkets, Toys 'R' Us and local gift shop chains Action City and Mini Toons.

Others had been found in smaller heartland stores and night market stalls.

As Singapore currently does not have toy safety standards, local firm Insight Labs tested the items using standards from the United States.

According to the American Society of Testing and Materials, an acceptable level of phthalates in toys is 1,000 parts per million (ppm). For lead, it is 90ppm for the toy's surface coating and 300ppm for its material.

Most of the toys that failed the test had two to three times these amounts, according to Insight Labs, which sponsored the test.

The worst was the Kido Daruma cellphone strap, made by local company Big Box International and sold in Action City stores. The metal ring on the strap contained 7,000ppm of lead, about 23 times the permitted level.

Case said that it contacted 14 retailers last week. FairPrice, Giant, Carrefour, Toys 'R' Us, Action City and a small shop in Bedok have pulled the products from their shelves.

Giant and Action City are offering refunds for customers who bought the items. Carrefour, which sold five of the toxic toys, is attempting to pull all items made by the manufacturers.

Mr Yeo said he hoped that the results would expedite legislation on toy safety, and that toys would eventually become part of the list of items screened for safety by Spring Singapore.

He also called on all the players in the retail chain, as gatekeepers, to conduct their own safety checks regularly.

He added that Case has given the results to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) for further action. The consumer watchdog may take action against some manufacturers and distributors for misrepresenting the toys as safe.

Case is encouraging consumers who bought the toxic toys to take up the issue with the retailers. It also advises parents to ensure children's hands are thoroughly washed and cleaned after handling toys.

When asked if the public can still trust the industry standard CE mark, Mr Yeo said that more surveys need to be carried out before a conclusion is made.

An MTI spokesman said that the ministry is reviewing the regulations to include toys and children's products on the list of items screened by Spring. Spring is also working with Case and retailers to remove toys that failed the test.

The list of toxic toys and pictures of what they look like can be found at www.case.org.sg

twong@sph.com.sg