From 1 January 2024 chemical mixtures for industrial use only will need to comply with Annex VIII to the CLP Regulation.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) hosted an informative webinar about notifying industrial use mixtures on 14th November 2023. The webinar from ECHA is available to watch via this link.
As pet owners, we want to keep our pets happy and healthy while they explore the outdoors and live alongside us in our homes. There is a wide range of indoor and outdoor plants that pets may come in contact with in their lifetime. These plants range in toxicity; some are low in toxicity, while others may be harmful and potentially life-threatening if eaten. It is important to remember that humans and pets are very different and even if a plant is considered to be safe or low in toxicity for humans, there may be harmful effects for pets.
Low toxicity plants are generally safe but may cause mild symptoms like nausea and vomiting if more than a small amount is eaten. More serious symptoms are unlikely to occur unless large amounts are eaten. Animals may be protected from some skin effects due to their fur. However, when grooming they may accidentally ingest plant material which has stuck to their fur.
We have compiled a list of plants for the home and garden which are considered to be low in toxicity for cats and dogs and have highlighted some common plants which may be harmful. We have also provided some tips below to help keep your pet safe around plants. The photos included are for illustration purposes only and should not be used for identifying plants.
The list below contains a selection of some widely known low toxicity plants and some plants which you should be particularly mindful of. These lists are non-exhaustive and do not include every harmful plant or every plant that is low in toxicity. The photos included are for illustration purposes only and should not be used to fully identify a plant.
Thanks to Elizabeth Dauncey for her help and expertise with the preparation of this document.
©The National Poisons Information Centre of Ireland 2023
The National Poisons Information Centre at Beaumont Hospital is delighted to have a Show Garden entitled ‘The Know, Act, Prevent Garden’ at the 2023 Bord Bia Bloom festival in the Phoenix Park from 1st-5th June. The aim of the garden is to raise awareness of the importance of poison prevention in the home and garden, and the work of the Poisons Information Centre.
Here is a link to our Bord Bia Bloom page that has information such as the Plant List for the Show Garden, a practical room to room guide to keep your home safe, information on toxic and low toxicity plants for humans and pets, and useful educational resources. We hope you find this information valuable.
Plants that are considered potentially toxic (poisonous) to humans may cause substantial symptoms, although these are not seen in most cases of accidental ingestion. The risks of developing more moderate-to-severe symptoms increase when larger amounts are chewed or swallowed. For some plants, children and adults will need to be monitored in a hospital emergency department if any amount of plant material is eaten, due to the risks involved. Therefore, it is important to make your garden as safe as possible. Handling some plants and bulbs, and skin contact with the sap may sometimes result in redness or rash.
The list of flowers and shrubs below contains some well-known plants that are considered toxic. If you have young children in your home or childcare facility, you may wish to avoid growing these plants, or take steps to prevent access to them. Supervision of children is the best way to ensure that accidental poisoning does not occur. If poisoning is suspected, call the Poisons Information Centre on 01 809 2166 for prompt advice.
Please note the list below contains a selection of some widely known toxic plants that flower at different times of the year. The list does not include every plant available for each season. The photos included here are for illustration purposes only and should not be used to fully identify a plant.
Thanks to Elizabeth Dauncey for her help and expertise with the preparation of this document.
©The National Poisons Information Centre of Ireland 2023
The National Poisons Information Centre at Beaumont Hospital has developed a helpful guide to low toxicity plants for child friendly gardens and play spaces.
Plants with a low toxicity are generally safe. Sometimes, if a child eats more than a few of these plants this may cause mild symptoms like a sore tummy, and vomiting but they are unlikely to develop more serious symptoms unless excessive amounts of these plants are eaten. You may get a mild redness or rash when handling plants or you make skin contact with the sap. Children and parents should always wash their hands after handling plants.
Below you will find a list of flowers, shrubs, and trees and some well-known plants that are generally considered to be low in toxicity. Young children can play amongst these plants safely unless they ingest a large number of these plants.
Please note the list below contains a selection of some widely known low toxicity plants that flower at different times of the year. The photos included here are for illustration purposes only and should not be used to fully identify a plant.
Japanese forest grass or Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra)
Japanese sedge or Morrow’s sedge (Carex morrowii)
Mexican feathergrass (Stipa tenuissima)
Thanks to Elizabeth Dauncey for her help and expertise with the preparation of this document.
©The National Poisons Information Centre of Ireland 2023
Prevention is key
There are things parents, family members and Santa Claus himself can do to help make this special time of year a safe one.
Parents and guardians should watch out for button and cylindrical batteries in toys, decorations and gadgets. Serious injury can occur if a child swallows a battery or puts a leaking one in their mouth. Keep batteries out of children’s sight and reach.
Be safety aware when buying toys and other gifts. Look for the CE mark and age labelling. Think about yonger children in a home when giving a toy to an older child. A younger sibling may end up playing with a toy unsuitable for their age and developmental stage.
Young children don’t understand danger. They may put items into their mouths that could poison or choke them. Always supervise your child. Don’t rely on older children to do so.
There is lots of information on poison prevention on www.poisons.ie and on child safety all year around on www.mychild.ie, part of hse.ie.
Batteries and poisons
Keep batteries out of reach
Children can easily remove batteries from items like remote controls. Keep products with batteries well out of reach if the battery compartment isn’t secured with a screw. Put them in a secure place a child cannot reach.
Make sure all battery compartments on toys and other items are secure and can’t be opened by little hands. A secure battery compartment is one that requires a screwdriver or other tool to open. Your child should not be able to open them.
Keep all spare or used batteries out of sight and reach of children. Safely recycle used batteries.
Button batteries cause serious harm
Button batteries are small batteries that look a bit like coins. They can be found in musical cards and books, novelty decorations like singing Santas or Christmas ornaments that light up, flameless candles and a wide range of small electronic devices.
They can be a choking hazard for a child and, if swallowed, can seriously burn their insides.
Bring your child to hospital if you think they have swallowed a battery
If you think your child may have swallowed a button battery or any other type of battery, take them immediately to your nearest hospital emergency department.
You can give a child over 1 year of age two teaspoons of honey if they have swallowed a button battery. The honey coats the battery. This can protect the oesophagus from injury before the battery is removed in hospital. Only do this if they are able to swallow. Do not delay bringing them to hospital.
Call the Poisons Information Centre if you think your child has been exposed to poison
Call the Poisons Information Line on 01-809 2166 if you think your child has been exposed to poison. The service is available from 8am to 10pm every day, including Christmas Day. It gives urgent tailored advice to members of the public on whether medical treatment is needed following accidental poisoning. Outside of these hours, contact your GP or hospital. In an emergency, call 999 or 112.
Be aware of common poison risks at Christmas
These include:
For more information on poisoning prevention, visit www.poisons.ie.
Toy safety
Look for the CE safety mark
All toys must carry the CE mark. The CE mark is a manufacturer’s declaration that the product complies with safety regulations and safety standards in the EU. The CE mark should appear on the product, in the instruction manual or on the packaging and be easy to read. Only buy toys from trusted shops.
Check the age labelling and warnings on toys
Make sure children are playing with toys that are right for their age and developmental stage.
Age labelling is the manufacturer’s way of telling you whether the toys are safe for a child of a particular age. For example, you might see one warning you that a toy is not suitable for children aged under 3 years. It is also important to consider any younger children who may be in the home. They could be in danger if they play with a toy that is not suitable for their age.
Make sure toys are in good condition and don’t have sharp edges
Broken toys can be dangerous.
Check toys for choking risks and detachable parts
Young children (under 3 years) put things in their mouths. Watch out for small objects, particularly round-shaped, that could block your child’s airway. For example, marbles, beads, coins, marker caps and bottle tops.
One of the biggest dangers for children is small or detachable parts of toys. They can lodge in their ears, nose or throat, and cause an injury, or be a choking hazard to small children who put things in their mouths.
Any part that comes loose should be too large for a child to swallow. Small magnetic pieces can also cause serious injury if swallowed.
Check for strings
Keep items with strings, cords and cables out of reach – they are a strangulation risk.
Store toys safely
Make sure toys are:
Questions and answers
How many children are poisoned by batteries each year?
From 2020 to date, the National Poisons Information Centre has received over 200 enquiries regarding exposures to batteries in children.
What age are children most at risk of poisoning?
Poisoning is most likely to happen to children age 1 to 4 years.
Most incidents happen in the child’s home, the home of a grandparent or a childminder, or at a crèche or school.
Lots of ordinary household products can be poisonous.
What types of toys should the CE mark appear on?
A toy is a product under EU Toy Safety Regulations that is clearly designed for or intended to be played with by children under the age of 14. This includes tricycles and scooters.
What is the CE mark?
Look for the CE (Conformité Européene) mark. This is the manufacturer’s declaration that the toy complies with safety regulations and safety standards in the EU. Look for the CE mark on the toy, instructions or packaging.
Do scooters have a CE safety mark?
All toy scooters should have a CE safety mark. If your child’s scooter has this CE mark, it is intended to only be used as a toy. If the CE mark is on your child’s scooter, it is intended to be used as a toy. All toy scooters must have the manufacturer’s name, address and contact details.
What should I look out for when buying toys?
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) advises people to be safety aware when they are buying gifts, particularly toys.
This includes toys bought online or from market stalls or discount shops.
Always buy from reputable retailers. This will help you to avoid unsafe, non-compliant toys, or toys with a fake CE mark.
The CCPC advises that if you are buying online, it can be hard to know who you are buying from, so it’s important to do some quick research, check reviews and social media pages. Check where the business is based.
If you can’t find this information easily, approach with caution. If the business is based outside of the EU, you may consider finding an alternative EU store to ensure you have stronger rights should an issue arise in the future.
Carefully check toys purchased online and toys bought second-hand.
What type of toys are unsafe?
Any toy that doesn’t have a genuine CE safety mark and which is unsuitable for your child’s age and development stage.
Toys that unsafe may be:
What type of toys do you recommend for young children?
Your child’s favourite toy is you. You are your child’s world so they will want to spend as much time with you as possible. Give your child lots of opportunity to play.
It is normal for children to prefer one type of play or certain toys. Try to create variety and make sure it is fun.
You can help your child to develop their imagination, creativity and key motor skills by choosing toys they can use in lots of different ways. For example:
You’ll find advice on play and toy ideas for different ages on mychild.ie.
https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/our-priority-programmes/child-health-and-wellbeing/nhcp-news-8.pdf (page 7) – based on advice from Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)
HSE Child Safety Programme manual
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey of antidote availability in Irish hospitals with emergency departments. The survey is now closed.
The National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) is currently conducting a survey of antidote availability in Irish hospitals with emergency departments. The pharmacy department of each hospital was contacted in February 2022 and provided with a the survey.
A large number of centres have already responded to this survey and we would like to thank respondents for their participation.We are, however, hoping to receive further responses.If you believe your organisation has not received the survey and is interested in taking part, please get in touch using the message function on our “Contact us” page.
