Secondhand toys are a great way to cut down on expenses and be less of a burden on the environment at the same time, but one needs to consider what kind of toxic chemicals – once thought to be harmless, but now banned – are in that old plastic doll and those antique Lego bricks as they may have come onto the market under laxer restrictions for certain toxic substances.

But new toys can contain hazardous chemicals as well. So what are parents to do?

In a study published recently in the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, Swedish researchers examined 157 old and new plastic toys and dress-up items. They found that nearly 84% of the former contained potentially toxic chemicals exceeding current legal limits, including phthalates and short-chain chlorinated paraffins, used as plasticizers and flame-retardants, that may disrupt children's development and hormones.

"The concentrations of toxic substances were significantly higher in the older items," said Bethanie Carney Almroth, who led the study, conducted at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Future Chemical Risk Assessment and Management Strategies (FRAM) at the University of Gothenburg.

"For example, many of the old balls were found to have concentrations of phthalates totaling more than 40% of the toy’s weight, which is 400 times over the legal limit."

The findings didn't surprise Kerstin Effers, a chemist at the consumer advice center in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, who said consumers should steer clear of older soft plastic toys: "You shouldn't buy them second hand for a simple reason: The European Union's ban on certain hormone-damaging phthalates in toys didn't go into effect until 2005."

She said parents have often asked the center whether it was safe to pass on their old dolls. "Upon inquiry, manufacturers confirmed to us that they had used the now banned plasticizers at the time, since they were still permitted back then and less was know about their risks," remarks Effers.

But older hard plastic toys pose risks as well, as exemplified by Lego bricks. A study by British researchers published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology in 2018 found that yellow and red bricks made between 1960 and 1981, in particular, contained amounts of cadmium that far exceed EU limits today.

But you can gift a child an untreated, solid wood toy in all conscience so long as it's still intact and without any loose parts, said Effers, adding that there's little reason to worry about it harboring pathogens.

"Old toys can be cleaned, and those made of cloth can be washed," she said.

New toys aren't necessarily free of harmful substances, Effers points out. In the Swedish study, nearly 30% of the newer plastic toys and dress-up items that were tested contained potentially toxic compounds exceeding EU limits. And it's simply not yet clear whether, and to what degree, many newly added or substituted substances may be harmful to health.

What's important, Effers said, is to examine both new and used toys with all of your senses. This includes feeling whether there are any sharp edges or parts that can break off and be swallowed. You should also pay attention to any pronounced or unpleasant smells.

"Besides that, there are flaws that may not pose a safety risk but show a lack of quality control," she said. "If the lettering is crooked and the seams aren't straight – obvious imperfections that were overlooked, in other words – it's certain that little care was given to chemical management as well."

Poorly made toys of this sort are often marketed online by dealers headquartered outside the EU. Effers strongly advises against buying from them, and said caution is also warranted in regard to toys for which only the address of an importer is listed. An alternative, she said, are smaller proprietary goods manufacturers and social workshops that clearly state what their toys are made of.

Quality seals can also provide orientation for consumers. There aren't many for toys, but one – for stuffed toys – is the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Effers said. A CE marking, for its part, affirms a product's compliance with EU safety, health and environmental requirements.

"It's only a self-declaration by the manufacturer that it has complied with EU laws, and doesn't have to be verified by an independent third party," notes Effers.

The date of certification is also important. As mentioned above, the EU's ban on certain phthalates in toys didn't go into effect until 2005, and all toys that received a CE marking before that date have retained it.

In May 2021, the EU introduced stricter limits on aluminum and formaldehyde migration in toys, and in December, a regulation restricting aniline – a carcinogenic component of dyes – in certain toys goes into effect.

At the end of the day, safety and environmentally-conscious consumers face a dilemma, concedes Effers: "On the one hand, we recommend using things as long as possible to save resources and generate less rubbish. On the other hand, this can be problematic when it comes to toys."

She said it's better to give children an experience as a present rather than toys, for instance, an afternoon doing handicrafts or a visit to a pony farm.

"Kids usually have plenty of toys already, so many parents are probably thankful when relatives don't add to the piles of presents under the Christmas tree," Effers said. "Especially considering that children will remember such experiences much longer than the umpteenth toy."