Popular Among Children, 'Wakppuball' Labeled for 'Ages 14 and Older' Found to Contain Hazardous Substances

As products like "Wakppuball" (clay toys coated with wax) gain popularity among children, caution is required as hazardous substances have been detected in some products labeled for ages 14 and older.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced today (the 31st) that after conducting safety tests on 20 products, including Wakppuball labeled for users aged 14 and older available on the market, hazardous substances exceeding children's product safety standards were detected in 7 of them.

Although the products were marked for ages 14 and older, the city tested them by applying safety standards for children aged 8 and older, considering the high likelihood that actual children would use them.

The tested items included 13 tactile products such as Wakppuball, 3 party supplies including balloons, 2 keychains, 1 sticker set, and 1 acrylic marker.

The tests revealed hazardous substances or physical safety concerns in 7 products, consisting of 5 tactile products, 1 sticker set, and 1 keycap keychain.

First, phthalate plasticizers, which can cause endocrine disruption, were detected on the surfaces or decorations of 3 tactile products at levels up to 164.2 times the limit set for children's products.

In packaging materials such as zipper bags, phthalate plasticizers were found at 142.7 times the standard limit, while cadmium, a carcinogenic substance, was detected at 1.5 times the limit.

In migration tests simulating a child putting a product in their mouth to check for the leaching of harmful substances, 2 products exceeded standard values for formaldehyde, methanol, and boron.

Formaldehyde can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and skin, while methanol can induce headaches and dizziness, and high-concentration exposure may affect the nervous system.

Excessive exposure to boron can affect reproductive functions.

Additionally, one product was found to contain chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT), preservative ingredients that can cause skin irritation.

In one sticker product, phthalate plasticizers on the adhesive backing were detected at 176 times the children's product limit, and cadmium at 5 times the limit.

For one keycap keychain product, a small battery became detached during the tensile testing process.

The city explained that because children swallowing a battery can lead to accidents, children's toys require measures to prevent easy access to batteries.

The results of this safety test can be found on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website (seoul.go.kr).

Based on these findings, the city has requested online platforms to halt the sales of products purchased through overseas online platforms that exceeded children's product safety standards.

Furthermore, the city has instructed elementary schools within its jurisdiction to distribute school notices to households to prevent children from mistakenly purchasing products labeled for ages 14 and older as children's products.

Information materials have also been distributed and banners posted in on-site locations such as the Changsin-dong Toy Alley in Jongno-gu.

Meanwhile, the city plans to conduct safety tests in September on children's stationery and school backpacks sold on overseas online platforms.
(Photo provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.