Chinese-make toys are toxic: MPCB tells Court

MUMBAI: The toys imported from China contain toxic materials that can be harmful to children, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board told Bombay High Court on Thursday.

But it was either for the Centre or the Bureau of Indian Standards to take action in this regard, MPCB said.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice V M Kanade directed Additional Solicitor General Rajendra Raghuvanshi to personally look into the matter and file a reply in two weeks.

A PIL filed by NGO Consumer Welfare Association had raised the issue of toxic toys, alleging there were no set standards for permissible amounts of toxic materials in toys -- both imported and domestically made -- in the country.

MPCB lawyer on Thursday conceded that China-made toys were indeed found to be containing toxic metals. MPCB had tested China-made toys in November 2007 and lead content of 0.1 mg per Kg to 2.33 mg per Kg were found in all of them.

Chief Justice Kumar observed that taking into account the magnitude of the contentions made in the PIL, the authorities needed to "wake up" to the cause of the health and safety of children.

Petitioner's lawyer Rajiv Chavan told the court that Customs has the power to stop the import of such toys if they were found to be containing hazardous substances.