Data released in Norway and Denmark on November 2003 reinforce concerns over brominated flame retardants and phthalates respectively.

A study by the Norwegian public health institute (FHI) finds that levels of the former in mothers’ milk have risen 58% over the past decade, while the Danish veterinary and food administration (DVFA) reports that children, especially infants of 6-12 months, still suffer levels of exposure to phthalates up to ten times those of adults, despite a series of statutory and voluntary bans on the use of the compounds in toys.