Beijing Consumer Council Tests 38 Stress-Relief Toys: Overall Safe, But One Shows Severe Plasticizer Excess

Beijing Consumer Council recently ran comparative tests on 38 stress-relief toys (slime, squishy, and press-type) on the market. Migratable lead all passed, and overall quality is controllable. But one "Tuopaopao Mengwu" squishy showed a total plasticizer (DBP/BBP/DEHP) content of 22.8% — an endocrine disruptor — and four products shed or broke in abuse testing, prompting takedown orders.

Three categories covered by the test

The comparative test covered 38 samples across slime, squishy, and press-type categories. On chemical safety, migratable elements (lead) all met standards with no heavy-metal excess. Yet physical-structure and plasticizer risks stood out — a reminder that shoppers should still check labeling and small parts when buying.

Three risk points named

First, one "Tuopaopao Mengwu" squishy showed a total plasticizer (DBP/BBP/DEHP) content of 22.8% — an endocrine disruptor that poses health risks with prolonged contact. Second, 4 products shed parts or cracked in abuse testing, including the "Nezha Ao Bing Q-version squishy" and "Slime fake-water hug-milk" — detached small parts can cause choking if swallowed by young children. Third, a TVOC screening against the upcoming standard found slime and squishy types release elevated TVOC in sealed conditions with a noticeable odor when opened, while press-type toys performed better.

Problem products ordered taken down

The Beijing Consumer Council has pushed relevant sales channels to remove the problematic products, and advises consumers to buy through official channels, check product labels and age warnings, and avoid giving squishies with small parts to young children. Keep proof of purchase and seek recourse if issues arise.

Shopping tip: "Decompression" slime and squishies are not for every age. Look for proper labeling, and skip small-part or strong-odor styles for young kids.

New standard countdown: GB 6675.14-2025 takes effect Nov 1

For context, the new toy-safety standard GB 6675.14-2025 takes effect on November 1, 2026 — the first in the world to set a dedicated toy TVOC emission metric, expanding phthalate controls from 6 to 10 substances and adding limits for formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, and boron. Transition: pre-standard products may sell before Nov 1; old-stock inventory may continue until Oct 31, 2027; full enforcement begins Nov 1, 2027. For both export and domestic brands, plasticizer and TVOC compliance is now a hard gate.

Source: Beijing Consumer Council / Beijing Market Regulator — Original report (QQ Browser aggregated news, Oct 12, 2026). This is an English adaptation of the Chinese source for the PlayGoro News column; figures and findings are attributed to the original report.