If you are a parent, you have not been able to miss the trend of Slime, that sticky and colorful paste that kids love to fiddle with, crush, and stretch in every way. If found easily in the trade, some prefer to make it themselves, at home.

Problem: these little budding chemists adepts Do It Yourself risk to become intoxicated in the long run.

Detergent, glue, laundry ... The explosive cocktail of the house Slime

In a joint statement released on Friday, May 4, 2018, the health agency Anses (National Agency for Sanitary Safety of Food) and the DGCCRF (Directorate General of Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention) warn Consumers who shape their home slime from manufacturing tutorials found on the internet. These recipes, generally based on toxic chemical ingredients diverted from their primary use, such as paper glue and laundry, have in fact been the subject of several reports of skin and respiratory disorders of varying severity.

"These liquid glues contain preservatives, especially formaldehyde releasers or isothiazolinones, very dermal allergenic substances , as well as many solvents (ethanol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate) responsible for irritation of the respiratory tract ", specifies the statement. To these substances are added boron in the form of boric acid and its derivatives, either in the form of a powder, or by means of products such as enema liquid for the eyes or contact lenses, and detergents, so that to make the dough more elastic. Repeatedly handled, they can represent risks for fertility and embryo-fetal development.

"The handling of detergents, detergents or glues in large quantities, repeatedly and prolonged can also cause severe contact dermatitis because these products all contain allergenic or irritant preservatives," says ANSES. are not intended to remain in prolonged, intense and repeated contact with the skin Several cases of skin and nail disorders (burns, redness, eczema, itching) (...) Moreover, the use of glues in large capacity exposes consumers, especially children, to solvents some of which may cause irritation to the eyes, respiratory tract and are toxic to the central nervous system.Finally, dyes used for the production of 'home' Slime do not are not all food-related or intended to be in contact with the skin.

Manufacturing kits to watch

For its part, the DGCCRF reveals having carried out an investigation on the kits of "Slime" sold in boxes in the trade. Result: out of fifteen samples analyzed, two kits contained a boron content greater than the authorized limit. Products that have since been removed from the market and recalled. It therefore invites parents "to ensure compliance with the precautions for use that accompany these kits." The controls should continue for the remainder of 2018.