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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE]
3 clusters · 11 sources · 33 days · First seen · Last updated
Austria child product chemical safety
Entities: Norbert Totschnig · Arbeiterkammer Oberösterreich · Greenpeace Austria · Thalia · Bipa
Overview
In late June 2026, the Arbeiterkammer Oberösterreich and the NGO Global 2000 tested a range of children’s toys and found a slime product containing borsic acid above the stricter EU REACH thresholds, though still within the Toy Safety Directive limit. The test underscored the effectiveness of EU chemical‑safety rules and prompted calls for better consumer information tools.
A month later, the same chamber together with Greenpeace examined 15 adhesive temporary tattoos marketed to children and adults. Laboratory analysis identified 31 problematic chemicals – prohibited substances, hormone‑active plasticisers, heavy metals such as lead and nickel, and PFAS – with many products containing multiple contaminants. Although individual legal limits were not exceeded, the cumulative exposure raised health concerns and led to demands for stricter bans on PFAS and improved disclosure, especially from online retailers.
In July 2026, a follow‑up laboratory test confirmed that 13 of the 15 tattoos were not recommendable, again highlighting the same palette of contaminants. The findings spurred several retailers – Bipa, Thalia, dm and Temu in Austria, and stores such as Müller, Amazon and Shein online – to halt sales of the affected items; Bipa even offered returns without a receipt. Greenpeace pressed Austrian Environment Minister Norbert Totschnig for a complete ban on contaminated children’s temporary tattoos and for a systematic EU‑wide review of hazardous chemicals in consumer products.
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] A lab test by Arbeiterkammer Oberösterreich and Greenpeace found phthalates, heavy metals and PFAS in 13 of 15 samples of children's temporary tattoos. (test results)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Bipa, Thalia, dm and Temu have stopped selling the affected temporary tattoos. (retailer statements)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Müller, Amazon and Shein no longer list the tested tattoos online, but have not confirmed removal publicly. (observations)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Greenpeace demanded a complete sales stop of all contaminated temporary tattoos and a full product‑range check for hazardous chemicals. (Greenpeace request)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Greenpeace urged Austrian Environment Minister Norbert Totschnig to push for stricter EU chemical regulations and a PFAS ban. (Greenpeace request)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Bipa allows customers to return the tattoos without a receipt. (Bipa statement)
Timeline
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1 day ago
[BUSINESS] 5 sourcesRetailers Stop Sale of Contaminated Kids’ Temporary Tattoos in AustriaTests found harmful chemicals in kids’ temporary tattoos; Bipa, Thalia, dm and Temu stopped selling them, Bipa offers returns, while Müller, Amazon and Shein have removed online listings. Greenpeace urges a ban
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6 days ago
[HEALTH] 3 sourcesAustrian tests reveal hazardous chemicals in children's temporary tattoosTests in Austria found 13 of 15 temporary tattoos for children contain banned chemicals, heavy metals and PFAS, prompting Greenpeace to demand stricter rules.
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about 1 month ago
[HEALTH] 2 sourcesAustrian Toy Test Flags Borsic Acid in Child SlimeAustrian safety agencies tested 19 toys; only one slime contained borsic acid above REACH limits, and the maker did not disclose it, highlighting EU chemical‑safety rules.
Sources
feldkirch.vol.at · help.orf.at · imgl.krone.at · kosmo.at · kronline.at · kurier.at · nachrichten.at · oesterreich.orf.at · presse-nachrichten.de · top-news.at · tt.com