Parents Beware - Many Toys Still Toxic, Hazardous

Dangerous
or toxic toys can still be found on America's store shelves, the U.S.
Public Interest Research Group announced today in its 25^th annual Trouble in Toyland report.

The
new report reveals the results of laboratory testing for toxic
chemicals, identifies toys that pose choking hazards, and includes tips
for avoiding common hazards when shopping. U.S. PIRG released the
report this morning at a press conference with Consumer Product Safety
Commissioner Robert Adler and Jennifer Tapper, a Washington, DC mother
whose child nearly choked on a small part from a toy train.

"We've made a lot of progress, but dangerous toys can still be found
among our children's playthings," said U.S. PIRG Public Health Advocate
Liz Hitchcock. "U.S. PIRG's report and the resources we offer will help
consumers identify and avoid the worst threats and keep their children
safe this year," she explained.

For 25 years, U.S. PIRG's Trouble in Toyland
report has offered safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small
children and provided examples of toys currently on store shelves that
pose potential safety hazards. The group also provides an interactive
website with tips for safe toy shopping that consumers can access on
their smartphones at www.toysafety.mobi.

Key findings from the report include:

• In
  2009, many toys and other children's products containing more than 0.1%
  of phthalates were banned. Still, U.S. PIRG found such products with
  phthalates, including a baby doll that contained concentrations up to
  30%.

• Despite
  a ban on small parts in toys for children under three, there are still
  toys available that pose serious choking hazards, including a toy train
  with a wooden peg that, while compliant with current standards, nearly
  led to the choking death of one DC area child.

• Lead
  and other metals have been severely restricted in toys in the past two
  years, but U.S. PIRG's laboratory tests revealed toys containing toxic
  lead and antimony on store shelves. Lead has negative health effects on
  almost every organ and system in the human body, and antimony is
  classified as a human carcinogen. Laboratory testing revealed one
  preschool book with antimony far above the limits. U.S. PIRG has
  notified the CPSC.

U.S.
PIRG noted that progress has been made on toy safety in the past two
years thanks to a 2008 PIRG-backed law overhauling the CPSC, as well as
new leadership at the agency.

"The
CPSC is doing a good job under its expanded authority, but there is
still more work to be done, especially when it comes to reducing choking
hazards and regulating the tens of thousands of chemicals that may be
in the toys our children play with," said Hitchcock.

According
to the most recent data from the CPSC, toy-related injuries sent more
than 250,000 children - 90,000 under the age of five - to emergency
rooms in 2009. Twelve children died from toy-related injuries that year.

To download a pdf version of Trouble in Toyland, click here.