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September is traditionally a back-to-school month, which translates into a denser-than-usual stationery and other supplies department in stores. However, in recent years, the start of the new school year has been accompanied by several studies conducted by the Danish Environmental Protection Agencyl’Ademel’UFC What to choose or 60 Million Consumers which have highlighted the presence or emission of chemical substances (in particular phthalates, formaldehyde, allergenic substances, etc.) in school or office supplies.
Signals that prompted ANSES to take action on the subject.
Inhaled, ingested or in contact with the skin, some of these chemical substances can cause health effects: certain phthalates (used as plasticizers) can be toxic for reproduction or endocrine disruptors, etc. ; formaldehyde (used as a biocide, in resins or even as a preservative) is skin sensitizing and carcinogenic…
These effects could be observed especially in children, who tend to put certain objects in their mouths. Since these products are used on a daily basis, the Agency has therefore decided to identify the substances that are specifically present in them.
No official categorization of school and office supplies exists today whether in France, in Europe or in the world. Thus, as part of this study, ANSES carried out research into the various categorizations proposed and combined them together in order to propose its own classification. It is recalled that new technologies (eg tablet) are not considered in this study.
Incomplete regulations and data
In France and in Europe, school supplies are not subject to any specific regulations whatsoever for their composition, manufacture or use.
However, it should be noted that European regulations REACh (which secures the manufacture and use of chemical substances in industry in Europe) and CLP (intended for communication on the dangers of chemical substances and mixtures at European level) apply, as well as the general product safety directive n°2010/95/EC. Some toys (glitter pens, finger paints, etc.) can also be used as school supplies, but these come in a more restrictive regulatory framework in accordance with Directive 2009/48/EC.
ANSES has therefore produced a summary of the available literature concerning the chemical substances present in or emitted by school and office supplies. She realized that this theme is very poorly documented. Studies on school or office supplies mainly focus on the emission of chemical substances, and to a lesser extent on transfer by skin contact (subject for which there are modeling data).
In the scientific literature, few studies specific to the chemical composition of school supplies have thus been identified. Nevertheless, some institutions have focused on some of them, in particular the Danish EPA. In 2007, the Danish agency, for example, identified the presence of phthalates in gums through composition tests.
Some examples anyway
The Danish EPA has carried out a risk assessment focusing on oral or dermal exposure to phthalates. Although it did not demonstrate any general risk, it nevertheless estimated for one of the phthalates that the daily ingestion of a piece of gum, or the fact of sucking or chewing a small quantity on a long period, could pose a risk to the health of children.
However, for the few available/existing relatively old risk assessments (with the exception of that concerning phthalates in gums), no risk had been identified.
Consumer associations such as UFC Que Choisir or 60 million consumers have also taken an interest in the issue. They carried out chemical analyzes on various school supplies such as ballpoint pens or highlighters. The UFC Que Choisir recently published new composition tests showing that 40% of the supplies tested contained chemicals.
Thus, despite relatively low scientific and “grey” literature (not submitted to reading committees or from institutes such as ANSES or its counterparts around the world), ANSES observes that the families of chemical substances most regularly studied, or most often identified during analyses, are:
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THE phthalates (which ANSES notes are only sought in articles containing PVC). Some have been found in erasers and some modeling clay.
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THE volatile organic compounds (VOC), including formaldehyde, chloroform or toluene often used as solvents. Potentially toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic, several have been found in highlighters, markers, erasers, scented pens, wooden pencils, gangs, adhesive tapes…
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the benzenesometimes found in gangs.
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of the metals (such as hexavalent chromium, cadmium, nickel, lead)occasionally found in the finger paint or whiteboard markers.
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of the PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyls) emitted from sheets of paper.
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of the colorantssome of which were found in felt-tip pens.
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of the conservatives (isothiazolinones…),
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of the substances parfumantesused in some markers et colouring pencils.
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resins, which have been found in gangs or some inks.
Several of these substances are classified at European level as skin sensitizers, carcinogens, etc. and are already prohibited or restricted, in toys in particular.
Some of these substances are the subject of alerts Safety Gate (formerly Rapex) regularly. Safety Gate is the European rapid alert system for non-food dangerous products which facilitates the exchange of information between 31 countries and the European Commission on products presenting a risk to health, consumer safety and the measures taken.
ANSES’s conclusions and recommendations
In conclusion, the ANSES study, despite an old and scarce literature, revealed the emission or presence of numerous chemical substances in school and office supplies, some of which present skin sensitizing, endocrine disrupting or carcinogenic properties. ANSES has highlighted the fact that school and office supplies are not subject to any specific regulations, whether for their composition, manufacture or use.
L’exposure to some of these substances can be easily limited, as we detail below. Consequently, ANSES advises consumers to give preference to supplies that do not contain fragrances, glitter or other devices that could encourage children to “chew” them or even swallow them.
To protect the health of consumers, that of teachers or staff working in the office and more particularly that of children, the Agency is calling for the current regulations to be reviewed.
ANSES recommends applying to all school supplies the regulations on the safety of toys, where the chemical component prohibits or limits the presence of a large number of substances such as CMR, or carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic to reproduction chemical agents), allergenic substances, chromium, lead, etc.
Thus by including school and office supplies in the Toy Safety Directive, a large number of chemicals already identified would be banned or restricted to low concentrations.
Finally, ANSES recommends that manufacturers and distributors remove certain hazardous substances such as fragrances, volatile substances, etc. without waiting for regulatory changes.