Plastic Toys — Heavy Metals

The testing covers elements including Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Mercury, Arsenic, Antimony, Barium and Selenium, depending on the applicable toy material and test requirements.

Yes. Plastic toys and other relevant toy materials may require testing under the applicable parts of the IS 9873 series to demonstrate compliance with BIS safety requirements.

BIS has revised IS 9873 (Part 1) to the 2025 edition, with the transition period extended to 22 March 2027. Heavy-metal migration testing continues to be addressed under the relevant requirements of IS 9873 (Part 3).

Heavy metal migration refers to the release of certain elements from toy materials when they come into contact with specified test conditions. IS 9873 (Part 3) evaluates this migration to help determine whether toys meet prescribed safety limits.

Plastic toys can contain pigments, additives or other materials that may release restricted elements. Testing helps identify excessive migration and supports compliance with BIS requirements for toy safety.

No. Testing requirements can vary according to the toy, its material composition, accessible parts, intended use and applicable BIS requirements. The relevant IS 9873 parts should therefore be determined for each product.

Applicable testing under the IS 9873 series forms part of the safety assessment for toys covered by BIS requirements. The exact tests depend on the product and the applicable standard provisions.

Testing should be conducted by an appropriately recognized laboratory according to the applicable BIS requirements and prescribed test methods. Certko can help coordinate the required testing through suitable laboratories.