What kind of rubber is "Environmentally Friendly Rubber Material"?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the ambiguity surrounding the term "Environmentally Friendly Rubber Material" and its implications for safety, particularly concerning toys made in China. Participants emphasize the lack of regulatory oversight in marketing claims related to rubber products, which complicates the identification of specific materials used in these toys. The conversation highlights the need for precise ingredient identification and safety assessments, especially for products intended for infants. A Raman spectrometer was utilized to analyze the rubber, but no matches were found for the spectra, indicating a gap in available data on rubber types.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of rubber types, specifically natural rubber and synthetic rubber.
  • Familiarity with safety standards for children's toys, particularly in the EU and UK.
  • Knowledge of analytical techniques such as Raman spectroscopy.
  • Awareness of marketing regulations regarding product labeling and claims.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the various types of rubber, including natural and synthetic varieties, and their safety profiles.
  • Investigate the safety regulations for children's toys in the EU and UK, focusing on material safety standards.
  • Learn about the principles and applications of Raman spectroscopy in material analysis.
  • Explore the implications of marketing claims in product safety, particularly in consumer goods.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for product safety analysts, toy manufacturers, regulatory compliance officers, and parents concerned about the safety of children's toys made from rubber materials.

jake jot
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How many kinds of rubber are there? And what does "Environment Friendly Rubber Material" mean? Hundreds of thousands of babies put these in their mouth and lick them continuously.
toy abs with rubber.jpg
 
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Engineering news on Phys.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rubber#Varieties

But there are no language police to prevent marketing campaigns from using the word rubber for almost anything. I don't think we will be able to give you a specific answer unless you give us the identity of the specific product.
 
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anorlunda said:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rubber#Varieties

But there are no language police to prevent marketing campaigns from using the word rubber for almost anything. I don't think we will be able to give you a specific answer unless you give us the identity of the specific product.
front label.jpg


label zoom.jpg


back label.jpg


These are made in china. Does anyone know how to read chinese here? Some PF members from China?
 
anorlunda said:
But there are no language police to prevent marketing campaigns from using the word rubber for almost anything.
Nor the term "environmentally friendly". When I clicked the thread title/link, I found the question is about safety, not the environment. They are totally different things - in some ways, even opposites.
 
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Note these toys made in china are sold in amazon and the USA and millions worldwide use them. So we need to identity the exact ingredients.

I tried to google food grade rubber and I saw this.

https://www.aquasealrubber.co.uk/products/food-grade-rubber/

rubbers list.JPG


I let someone with access to a Raman spectrometer scan it.

Raman of unknown rubber.JPG


I tried to match the above to each spectrum of the list. No match. Can anyone give all lists of rubbers so I can match? Does rubber come with alloys meaning they mixed different thing to make the rubber in the toy?

Also what molecule is the peak close to 3000 cm-1 ?
 
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jake jot said:
Note these toys made in china are sold in amazon and the USA and millions worldwide use them. So we need to identity the exact ingredients.
Who is we?
 
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I think the question that needs to be answered is 'is this product safe for an infant child?' We cannot answer this on PhysicsForums.

It would not be legal for Amazon or anyone else to import or sell this product in the UK or anywhere in Europe.
 
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Thanks to everyone - time to close the thread
 
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