In August 2026, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published a new version of the toy International Standard ISO 8124-5, ISO 8124-5:2026 Safety of toys - Part 5: Determination of total concentration of certain elements in toys, superseding the previous version, ISO 8124-5:2015.

The main technical changes are as follows:

1. The choice of digestion mixtures has been changed from being based on the final quantification instruments (ICP-MS or ICP-OES) to being based on the type of test part or sample material. A new digestion mixture (1:9 mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid) has been introduced to replace the reverse aqua regia mixture for non-metallic materials. Aqua regia is used for metallic materials.
2. An energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) method for screening the contents of eight elements in plastic materials in toys has been included as an informative annex.
3. Certain elements of additional information contained in Annex A have been integrated into the main body of the text (e.g. Scope, 7.4).

The method ISO 8124-5:2026 can be used when taking decisions on the conformity of material with regulatory requirements that impose restrictions on the total concentration of certain elements (e.g., total lead (Pb), total cadmium (Cd)). The method can also be used to decide whether there is a need to undertake migration testing in accordance with the method specified in ISO 8124-3. However, please note that there is no boron (B) listed in ISO 8124-5 compared to ISO 8124-3:2020+Amd.1:2023 for modelling clays, putties and slimes.

Intertek China Hardlines labs are capable of providing you with testing services and technical support in compliance with international toy standards.

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