A laboratory in Birmingham has revealed that certain loom bands may contain toxic chemicals according to research.
An Irish website dedicated to parents called MummyPages.ie, are advising Irish parents not to their children use any charms until it’s confirmed which ones are safe.
The website has warned that certain types of loom bands and their charms contain a dangerous, carcinogenic chemical called ‘phthalates’, and according to EU regulations which allow only 0.1% of phthalates in weight, and according to the research it is believed think some loom charms contain over 50% of the chemicals.
However, this only applies to certain manufacturers – which cannot be names due to legal reasons.
A spokesperson for the website MummyPages.ie has said: “The toxic chemical is carcinogenic and can be absorbed into the body via ingestion or through body sweat. These bracelets pose a threat to children, young adults, pets and anyone who may come into contact with them”.
The spokesperson also added:“Our advice is to remove the loom band charms from your child’s craft activities until such time as the retailers reassure us that they are safe for your children to use.