The UK government has announced its intention to revoke the “Pencils and Graphic instruments (Safety) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2406)” by the 6 April 2013.

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) would ensure consumer safety in respect of pencils and graphic instruments once the 1998 Regulations are revoked. The GPSR will require the safety of these products to be measured against the nearest applicable standard (eg BS EN 71-3 relating to toys in this instance and which outlines safe limits of heavy metals for inclusion in these articles) and which will require manufacturers and retailers to demonstrate their products are safe ie through the use of testing such as heavy metal analysis. Standard BS EN 71-3 was passed in 1995 and concerns the safety of toys and reflects the level of heavy metals now accepted as safe.

On revocation of the 1998 Regulations, the Standard will remain the safety standard for pencils and graphic instruments for use in play by children, enforceable through the Toy Safety Regulations 2011 and the GPSR.”