Turkey Bans Kids' Toy for Having Cancer-Causing Chemicals and Causing Infertility

The Turkish Ministry of Trade has put out a warning about a kids’ toy that contains dangerous chemicals. According to their latest update on unsafe products, the toy has substances that can cause cancer and infertility.

The toy in question is a toy car from the brand Serra Plastik. Authorities found it contains high levels of phthalates, which are way above the legal limit. Because of this, they’ve banned it and pulled it off the shelves.

Phthalates are synthetic chemicals used to make plastic soft and flexible, but they’re really bad for your health. The ministry said they can lead to serious health problems — especially infertility — and using them in children's toys has actually been banned since 1999.

In the same statement, the ministry also banned a room air freshener from the brand Viole & More. The product — called Bambu Model Reed Diffuser Çubuklu Oda Kokusu (100 ml) — was pulled from stores because it didn’t have a tactile warning label on the packaging, which is especially dangerous for people with disabilities.