Do plastic toys release unknown volatile chemicals that haven't been tested for safety?

What's actually in it

Plastic toys have a smell. That smell comes from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) escaping from the plastic. These chemicals are leftovers from manufacturing: solvents, plasticizers, stabilizers, and dyes that didn't fully bond to the material. They off-gas into the air your child breathes, especially when the toy is new. Kids also put toys in their mouths, adding another route of exposure.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Talanta used advanced GC-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify what volatile substances plastic toys actually release. Unlike standard testing, which only looks for known chemicals on a checklist, this method can detect unknown and unexpected compounds.

The results were eye-opening. The researchers found dozens of volatile substances that aren't on any regulatory watchlist. Many had never been tested for toxicity. Some were breakdown products that form during manufacturing or storage. Others were additives not typically screened for in toy safety testing.

Current toy safety regulations test for a short list of known hazards. This study shows that the real chemical mix coming off a plastic toy is far more complex than regulators assume. Choosing toys made from solid wood, natural rubber, or food-grade silicone avoids this problem entirely. If you buy plastic toys, airing them out for a few days before giving them to your child helps reduce the initial burst of off-gassing.