Issue 04/2016

Toys
By:
Kevin Ireland
Communications Manager
Green Dot
Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, USA
plastic their flexibility – plasticizers as they are known
– have been shown to be endocrine disruptors [2] and
linked to the development of tumors, birth defects and
developmental disorders. Both the United States [3]
and the European Union have had a ban on the use of
certain types of phthalates for years. Especially for young
children, there is a fear that chewing on or heating the
toys can exacerbate the harmful effects of exposure
to chemicals like phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and
heavy metals. Removing these chemicals, as well as
others like PVC, should be a major thrust for toymakers
looking to avoid exposing children to potentially harmful
substances during the important period of early childhood
development.
Once toymakers begin exploring options for less toxic
materials, they often also find an unexpected marriage
between sustainability and performance. Starch-based
plastics are ideal for scenting, allowing toymakers to
create imaginative products, like Colorado toymaker,
BeginAgain’s Scented Scoops ice cream play set. The toy
is made with Green Dot’s Terratek ® Flex, compostable
elastomeric bioplastic. This starch-based material
allowed the toymaker to use fragrances to create scoops
that smell good enough to eat (cf bM 05/12, 05/14, 02/15.
Biocomposite materials, which utilize natural fibers
such as wood pulp, flax, starch and hemp, can bring
performance characteristics such as durability, natural
feel and even buoyancy to the fore. Connecticut toymaker,
Luke’s Toy Factory, chose to use Green Dot’s Terratek ®
WC, a wood-plastic composite made from reclaimed
wood fibers and recycled plastic. The material provided
the aesthetics of wood with the processing capabilities of
plastic. The wood-plastic composite material was more
weather resistant than wood or plastic alone and the
parts could be colored when molded, avoiding the risk of
splinters and peeling paint (cf. bM 05/14)
There are many examples of toymakers using bioplastics
and biocomposites as seen in this publication. These
innovative materials give toymakers a degree of flexibility
and chance for creativity that’s lacking with traditional
plastic formulations. These alternatives to traditional
oil-based plastics help to make their toys stand out in a
crowded market place by distinguishing their products as
safer, more durable and more sustainable.
www.GreenDotPure.com.
[1] http://www.greendotpure.com/why-sustainable-plastics/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor
[3] https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Business--Manufacturing/Business-
Education/Business-Guidance/Phthalates-Information/
[4] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-99-829_en.htm?locale=en
RETHINKING
PLASTICS
29/30 November 2016
Steigenberger Hotel Berlin
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NOW!
For more information email:
conference@european-bioplastics.org
@EUBioplastics #eubpconf2016
www.conference.european-bioplastics.org
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11 23