Scope
NOM-252 applies to toys for children up to 12 years old and preschool school articles in Mexico. The full soluble-element table applies to toys for children under three years and preschool school articles that may be sucked, licked, or swallowed.
Exact limit and units
| Metal | Matrix | Limit | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sb | Any toy or school-article material except modeling clay and finger paint | 60 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| arsenic (As) | Any toy or school-article material except modeling clay and finger paint | 25 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| cadmium (Cd) | Any toy or school-article material except modeling clay and finger paint | 75 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| chromium (Cr) | Any toy or school-article material except modeling clay and finger paint | 60 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| lead (Pb) | Any toy or school-article material except modeling clay and finger paint | 90 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| mercury (Hg) | Any toy or school-article material except modeling clay and finger paint | 60 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| Sb | Preschool school articles, modeling clay, and finger paint | 60 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| arsenic (As) | Preschool school articles, modeling clay, and finger paint | 25 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| cadmium (Cd) | Preschool school articles, modeling clay, and finger paint | 50 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| chromium (Cr) | Preschool school articles, modeling clay, and finger paint | 25 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| lead (Pb) | Preschool school articles, modeling clay, and finger paint | 90 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
| mercury (Hg) | Preschool school articles, modeling clay, and finger paint | 25 | mg/kg | bioavailable soluble element |
How tested
Appendix A extracts soluble elements under conditions simulating materials remaining four hours in the alimentary tract after ingestion. Determination may use ICP-MS, ICP optical emission, flame AAS, hydride generation, or graphite furnace techniques as applicable.
Enforcement posture
The NOM is mandatory for manufacturers, importers, and marketers of covered products in Mexico. Compliance is assessed against the stated bioavailability limits and test methods.
History of changes
The final NOM was published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on May 15, 2012, replacing the prior NOM-015/1-SCFI/SSA-1994 framework for metal bioavailability in coated toys and school articles.
How it compares
The general-material values match common international toy-migration values for several elements. The preschool/modeling-clay/finger-paint row is stricter for cadmium, chromium, and mercury while retaining the same lead value.
Sources
Update history
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