Trouble in Toyland: Report warns of toxins
A consumer watchdog group is warning parents to be aware of what kinds of toys they are buying for kids this Christmas since a new federal law banning certain types of toxic toys won't take effect until 2009.
The Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) issued its 23rd annual "Trouble in Toyland" report on Tuesday, warning parents to avoid products that contain lead or phthalates, a chemical found in plastics.
WISPIRG's Bruce Speight said the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is a big step forward in protecting the public, but it won't take effect until after the Christmas 2008 shopping season.
"It's still buyer beware for this shopping season," Speight said. "Worse, the Consumer Product Safety Commission told companies they could still sell toys with phthalates in them until they ran out, instead of complying with the law's prohibition on selling the toys after Feb. 10."
The report said parents should be aware of lead in toys and children's jewelry, phthalates and small parts in toys.
Researchers found high levels of lead in several toys, including one piece of children's jewelry that contained 45 percent lead by weight, more than 750 times above current CPSC standards.
"Consumers can still find lead-laden children's jewelry and lead-painted toys on store shelves until the protections take effect next year," Speight said.
The phthalate ban prohibits toys that contain concentrations of more than 0.1 percent of the chemical. Researchers found toys that had concentrations up to 40 percent.
"The new law stops the sales of toys containing toxic phthalates in February, but the CPSC said manufacturers can keep selling the toys until they run out, which could take years," Speight said.
Small parts in toys continue to be hazardous to young children, but some toys found by WISPIRG didn't have adequate choke hazard warnings on the packaging -- a requirement for toys produced for children under six.
The CPSC said 80,000 children under five years old were taken to emergency rooms in 2007 for toy-related injuries, and 18 children died from toy-related injuries that same year.
"Shoppers should remember to examine all toys carefully for hidden dangers before you make a purchase this holiday season," Speight said.
WISPIRG also has a toy shopping guide available online at its Web site at http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/product-safety/product-safety-reports/trouble-in-toyland-the-23rd-annual-survey-of-toy-safety.
Elaine Thompson/Associated Press
Blair Anundson of WashPIRG displays toys considered by the group to be hazardous during a news conference on toy safety Tuesday.
