TIA Statement on the Use of Bisphenol-A (BPA)
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) assures parents and caregivers that Bisphenol-A (BPA) is safe for use in toys, given both its limited scope of use and limited risk of exposure in toy and game products.
BPA is a plastic ingredient that has been used for more than 60 years to make the tough, shatter-resistant polycarbonate plastic and versatile epoxy resins used in a wide array of products. It can be found in bicycle and motorcycle helmets, protective sporting guards, eyeglass lenses, hospital incubators and components of many life-saving medical devices. BPA helps to make these products lightweight, highly shatter- and heat-resistant, and extremely strong and reliable. It has been specifically chosen for use in toys because polycarbonate plastics can withstand the rigors of active children’s play.
Despite this strong safety record, the use of BPA in children’s products such as baby bottles, sippy cups and other food storage items has been phased out. However, toys are used quite differently: they are not designed for use with food, and do not regularly undergo the extreme wear and tear caused by high temperatures in a dishwasher or microwave. No federal or state jurisdiction has restricted the use of BPA in toys.
Safety is the number one priority of the toy industry, and we are committed to upholding the highest standards for toy safety. Members of the toy industry work alongside medical experts and government and consumer representatives to establish, maintain and comply with stringent toy safety standards and regulations that consider a product’s intended use .… and to strengthen those standards when necessary. We support any scientific investigation that can help improve or reinforce the safety of toys.
This statement was updated by the Toy Industry Association in October 2016.