HOW DO WE know, when it comes time in the classroom to get the paint, crayons
and dyes out, that they are safe, non-toxic and environmentally-friendly? We are
talking here about the paints, crayons and dyes that our children put in their
mouths, on their fingers, in fact all over themselves.
It may surprise you to find out that New Zealand does not currently have any
safety standards for New Zealand-made art products used in pre-schools and
primary schools.
What makes this more interesting is that we are one of the very few countries
that do not have any safety standards of this type at all.
New Zealand has very strict laws in place with imports but nothing for locally
made products. The real concern with art supplies is that our children are
playing, touching and sometimes eating these products.
In Australia all schools must have on site Medical Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
from the manufacturer. These list the ingredients and carry instructions for a
doctor about the raw materials. The manufacturer must also test their products
to conform to an international safety standard, ASTM 4236, and put this on the
label. The US, Singapore and South Korea have similar standards and in the US,
the laws are so strict that if products do not have the ACMI seal they simply
will not be sold.
Confirming safety.
What do we need to look for on our art supplies labels to tell us that products
are safe and at least conform to an international safety standard? For a
manufacturer to say the product is non-toxic on the label is just not enough and
ultimately means nothing.
Look on the label of each product or brand for any international safety seal
such as ACMI (USA), CE (European) or ASTM 4236.Products carrying these seals
have been thoroughly tested, down to each individual colour. If the label does
not have any form of seal standard then the product has not been tested. Call
the manufacturer or better still the art and craft supplier you brought them
from and express your concern.
Parents, too, are ringing the manufacturers themselves, trying to find out the
ingredients of each paint, dye and crayon because their child has an allergy.
Schools should at least have the MSDS on site. All suppliers and manufacturers
must produce the MSDS when asked by law, and some of them already have them
available to download from their website.
Each one of us can make a difference by reading the labels and expressing
concerns to your art supplies company or representative for products without a
safety seal. After all isnt health and safety the number one priority for any
school?
By Tony Parker, Fine Art Supplies
