Survey and health assessment of glow sticks Survey of chemical substances in consumer products No. 122, 2013 Title: Editing: Survey and health assessment of glow sticks Danish Technological Institute Eva Jacobsen Kathe Tønning Lone F. Poulsen Niels Elmegaard Published by: The Danish Environmental Protection Agency Strandgade 29 DK-1401 Copenhagen K Denmark www.mst.dk Year: ISBN no. 2013 978-87-93026-41-4 Disclaimer: When the occasion arises, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency will publish reports and papers concerning research and development projects within the environmental sector, financed by study grants provided by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. It should be noted that such publications do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. However, publication does indicate that, in the opinion of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the content represents an important contribution to the debate surrounding Danish environmental policy. Sources must be acknowledged. 2 Survey and health assessment of glow sticks Contents Foreword .................................................................................................................. 5 Conclusion and Summary .......................................................................................... 6 Konklusion og sammenfatning .................................................................................. 9 1. Background ...................................................................................................... 12 1.1 What glow sticks are used for ............................................................................................... 12 1.2 Composition and effect ......................................................................................................... 13 1.3 Description of the chemical reaction ................................................................................... 14 1.4 Legislation ............................................................................................................................. 15 1.4.1 REACH ................................................................................................................... 15 1.4.2 CLP ......................................................................................................................... 15 1.4.3 Toys ......................................................................................................................... 16 2. Survey ............................................................................................................... 17 2.1 Objective of the survey .......................................................................................................... 17 2.2 Delimitation .......................................................................................................................... 17 2.3 Procedure .............................................................................................................................. 17 2.3.1 Shop visits .............................................................................................................. 17 2.3.2 Internet visits .........................................................................................................18 2.3.3 Inquiries to manufacturers/importers/distributors ............................................ 18 2.4 Result of the survey ...............................................................................................................18 2.4.1 Result of general inquiries .....................................................................................18 2.4.2 Result of retail shop visits ...................................................................................... 19 2.4.3 Result of survey via internet pages ........................................................................ 19 2.4.4 Result of inquiries to manufacturers/importers ................................................. 20 2.4.5 Result of inquiry about composition and content ............................................... 20 2.4.6 Result of inquiries to organisations ..................................................................... 20 2.5 Total result of the survey ...................................................................................................... 21 3. Exposure .......................................................................................................... 22 3.1 Citizen inquiries regarding glow sticks ............................................................................... 22 3.2 Ways of exposure when using glow sticks .......................................................................... 23 3.2.1 Dermal exposure ................................................................................................... 23 3.2.2 Eye exposure ......................................................................................................... 23 3.2.3 Oral exposure ........................................................................................................ 23 3.2.4 Inhalation .............................................................................................................. 23 4. Health assessment of contents .......................................................................... 24 4.1 Classification procedure ...................................................................................................... 24 4.2 Classification of contents in glow sticks .............................................................................. 24 5. Choice of glow sticks for analyses ..................................................................... 27 5.1 Criteria for purchase of products ........................................................................................ 27 5.2 Outline of purchased glow sticks ......................................................................................... 27 5.3 Labelling of packaging ......................................................................................................... 28 6. Chemical analyses ............................................................................................ 29 Survey and health assessment of glow sticks 3 6.1 Choice of chemical analyses ................................................................................................ 29 6.2 Criteria for sampling sub-samples for analyses.................................................................. 29 6.3 Applied analysis methods .................................................................................................... 30 6.3.1 Method for determining content of oxidizing agents .......................................... 30 6.3.2 GC-MS screening method ..................................................................................... 30 6.3.3 GC-MS quantitative method .................................................................................. 31 6.3.4 Method validation of GC-MS quantitative method .............................................. 31 6.4 Results of chemical analyses ............................................................................................... 32 6.4.1 Visual observations of glow sticks ........................................................................ 32 6.4.2 Results of concentration of oxidizing agents ....................................................... 33 6.4.3 Results of screening analysis of glow sticks ......................................................... 35 6.4.4 Results of quantitative analyses ........................................................................... 36 6.5 Comparison of results of chemical analyses ........................................................................37 7. Discussion ........................................................................................................ 39 7.1 Comparison of analysis results and expected content ....................................................... 39 7.2 Classification of health risk ................................................................................................. 39 7.3 Health hazardous effects ..................................................................................................... 40 8. References ....................................................................................................... 42 Appendix 1: Survey - General inquiry to companies that were regarded as possible distributors of glow stick products ....................................................................... 43 Appendix 2: Survey - Inquiry to companies whose products were registered in retail shops ...................................................................................................................... 45 Appendix 3: Survey – Inquiry to online stores where the survey demonstrated sale of products aimed at children or that could appeal to children .............................. 47 Appendix 4: Survey – Inquiry to manufacturers/importers .................................................... 49 Appendix 5: Survey – Result of inquiries................................................................................... 51 Appendix 6: Survey – Inquiry to Danish chain shops .............................................................. 52 Appendix 7: Result of inquiry on composition and contents ................................................... 53 Appendix 8: Outline of health effects of contents