We Sent 18 Squishy Toys To A Lab. Here’s What We Found | Talking Point

Summary

Talking Point investigated the safety of squishy toys, which children may handle for long periods or take to bed. The team bought 18 toys in Singapore: six liquid- or gel-filled toys, six slow-rising foam toys, and six stretchy toys. They were tested for benzene and restricted phthalates.

A materials expert explained that benzene can enter toys through manufacturing contamination, while phthalates may be added to make some plastics softer. Benzene exposure is associated with health risks, and some phthalates may affect children’s development. The risk from a particular toy depends partly on how much of the chemical a child is actually exposed to.

The programme also examined heat-related risks. On a day when the outside temperature was about 32°C, water-filled bags used to model toy contents reached 60°C on the dashboard of a parked car after three hours. In a lab, three liquid-filled squishies were heated at 60°C for three hours. They softened but remained intact; when squeezed afterward, one ruptured and spilled warm filling. An expert advised parents not to let children handle toys immediately after they have been left in a hot car, and to check toys for damage or leaks.

Lab testing found no detectable benzene in the 18 toys. Six contained restricted phthalates. Detected DEHP and DBP levels were below Singapore’s stated limit of 1,000 mg/kg. DINP was detected in two toys; one contained 1,726 mg/kg, above that limit. The lab noted that the test measured the concentration in each toy, not the amount a child would absorb, so it could not determine an individual child’s actual risk.

The toy that exceeded the DINP limit belonged to a child named Mishka. After the programme shared the result with Mishka and her mother, they decided to discard it. The retailer, Kitty Palace, declined an on-camera interview but said it had pulled the toy from its stores, quarantined remaining stock, offered refunds, and was working with suppliers to ensure compliance with regulations.

The programme also urged viewers to follow packaging warnings, including advice against using excessive force or leaving toys in direct sunlight.

Presenters and Contributors

• Talking Point presenter — name not identified in the subtitles
• Assistant Professor Mervyn Ang — polymers and materials expert
• Associate Professor Valero Iacono — chemical-processes expert
• Mishka and her mother — interviewed about the tested toy
• Unnamed lab representative — explained the chemical test results
• Kitty Palace — retailer that provided a statement