Here are the key points about possible hazards the trendy gooey toy can present for children.
If you’ve been shopping for kids this holiday season or watching videos with them online, you’ve probably noticed that toy slime is everywhere.
Stretchy, squishy, slimy, and available in a wide variety of hues and finishes, toy slimes are fun to make and entertain with.
But do you know what ingredients are actually inside them?
New cautions
A consumer advocacy organization recently highlighted toy slime as a potential risk for kids.
In its annual Trouble In Toyland Report, the United States Public Interest Research Group reports that, out of forty toys examined, six slime items had “dangerously high” concentrations of boron — a mineral commonly used across industrial and household products such as detergents and fertilizers.
USPIRG notes that some tested slimes contained up to 4,700 ppm (parts per million) of boron — over 15 times the limit allowed for similar toys in the European Union.
The United States, however, lacks formal federal standards for boron levels in consumer goods.
“To keep kids safe, it may be necessary to limit boron content in children’s toys or, at least, explicitly label toys that are high in boron content,” the report’s authors stated.
The slimes identified include: Kangaroos Original Super Cool Slime, Kidsco Glow in The Dark Slime, and Toysmith Jupiter Juice Slime. All of the high-boron slimes are sold through major retailers like Amazon and Walmart.
How boron can impact health
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), boron is an irritant that can affect the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.
If swallowed, it can irritate the digestive tract and cause stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea, or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
In high doses, boron can be lethal. A fatal dose of boron is estimated at roughly 15 to 20 grams for adults and about 5 to 6 grams for children when consumed over a short time.
Young children do put many things in their mouths, but that is a substantial amount of boron to ingest. One expert told CNN that a child would likely have to consume “multiple containers” to reach toxic boron levels.
Is toy slime truly dangerous?
Although it’s worrying to learn that a potentially harmful mineral can be present in toy slime, boron is generally considered fairly low risk.
It’s not classified as a carcinogen and does not readily absorb through intact skin.
“The amounts that are used in these products tend to be pretty low and below the low levels where you would likely see any serious concerns. So for most users, that means that the likeliest kinds of concerns would be irritations of the skin,” Dr. Ken Spaeth, chief of occupational and environmental medicine for Northwell Health System, told HealthEH.
Dangers of homemade slime
Homemade slimes can pose additional risks.
Many do-it-yourself recipes call for glue, water, and borax — the common name for sodium tetraborate, a boron-containing compound. Like boron, borax is usually regarded as relatively safe but can irritate skin and the GI tract.
Standard Elmer’s white glue (the classic school glue) is also fairly harmless.
“It ought to be done with some adult supervision so that the borax is not being misused or used carelessly, but if it’s being used responsibly I think it’s not likely to pose any major concerns,” Spaeth said.
That said, borax is still a chemical and can cause harm in certain circumstances.
One incident reported by parenting site Romper describes an 11-year-old girl who suffered third-degree burns and blistering on her hands after completing a batch of homemade slime.
Physicians believe borax is usually diluted with water when used for slime, and she may not have properly diluted it before contact. An allergic reaction is also possible.
“A measuring error or spillage might occur where there could be a higher exposure,” Spaeth noted.
Other additives used to change slime’s feel — glitter, plastic bits, or foam pieces — can contain harmful substances or become choking hazards.
However, “it’s hard to make a broad statement about those kinds of items,” Spaeth added.
If you’re shopping for slime, it pays to be an informed buyer and understand what you’re purchasing — especially for children.
Despite consumer alarms, boron is unlikely to cause major health issues unless ingested in large quantities.
If making slime with your kids is something you enjoy, you probably don’t need to be overly concerned so long as you supervise carefully. And if you remain uneasy, there are numerous homemade recipes that avoid borax entirely.
The takeaway
A consumer advocacy group warns that certain toy slimes contain high levels of boron, a mineral found in detergents and other products. Boron can irritate skin, eyes, nose, throat, and the digestive system. Still, it is not a carcinogen and is generally considered safe except when consumed in large amounts.
When making slime at home, supervise closely and do not leave children alone with borax or other chemicals.
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