Analysis

‘Trouble in Toyland’ Report Finds Dangerous Toys on Store Shelves


Shopping Tips Can Help Parents Shop Safe

Chicago –(ENEWSPF)—December 3, 2014. Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to Illinois Public Interest Research Group’s 29th annual Trouble in Toyland report. The survey of hazardous toys found that, despite recent progress, consumers must still be wary when shopping this holiday season.

The report reveals the results of laboratory testing on toys for toxic chemicals, including lead, chromium and phthalates, all of which can have serious, adverse health impacts on a child’s development. The survey also found examples of small toys that pose a choking hazard, extremely loud toys that threaten children’s hearing, and powerful toy magnets that can cause serious injury if swallowed.

“We should be able to trust that the toys we buy are safe. However, until that’s the case, parents need to watch out for common hazards when shopping for toys,” said Dev Gowda, Advocate with Illinois PIRG.

For 29 years, the Illinois PIRG 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.

“In the years we have worked on this issue together, it is gratifying to see more testing and evaluation of toys and children’s products, along with a more effective recall process in place,” said Attorney General Lisa Madigan. “But unfortunately, as this report shows, hazardous children’s products are still far too readily accessible. This report remains an important resource in identifying dangerous products to ensure a safe holiday season of giving.”

“As the holiday shopping season continues, this report gives parents and loved ones valuable information about the safety of children’s products,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-9). “Since the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in 2008, toys and other consumer products have become much safer, but the Trouble in Toyland report shows that there is more to do.”

“Choking is a leading cause of injury and death among children aged 3 years or younger. Food, coins, and toys are the primary causes of choking-related injury and death,” said Elizabeth Powell, MD, MPH, Emergency Medicine, Lurie Children’s Hospital.

Key findings from the report include:

Toys with high levels of toxic substances are still on store shelves. We found toys containing phthalates well over legal limits, as well as toys with lead or chromium content above limits. For example, we found Hello Kitty toy hair clips from JoAnn Fabrics that had 5 times the limit of the phthalate DEHP, and a toy tambourine and sheriff’s badges from Dollar Tree that exceeded the limits for chromium and lead, respectively.

Despite a ban on small parts in toys for children under the age of three, we found toys available in stores that still pose choking hazards. For example, we found party favors from Dollar Tree which contains small parts and was unlabeled as a choking hazard.

We also found toys that are potentially harmful to children’s ears and hearing. For example, we found the Leap Frog Chat and Count Smart Phone and Dora the Explorer Lights & Sounds Trike from Walmart that were extremely loud and could potentially harm a child’s ears.

We continued to find small, powerful magnets that pose a dangerous threat to children if swallowed. For example, we found Sizzlers noise magnets from Toys “R” Us that are small enough to be swallowed and can cause severe internal damage.

Over the past six years, stronger rules have helped get some of the most dangerous toys and children’s products off the market. Rules put in place by the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act tightened lead limits and phased out dangerous phthalates. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s September ban on small, powerful toy magnet sets is also an important step forward. However, not all toys comply with the law, and holes in the toy safety net remain.

“Each year, parents get vital safety information from the Trouble in Toyland report that helps them choose toys wisely at the holidays and throughout the year,” said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger, a non-profit organization.

“Parents should avoid shopping at stores that have not adopted a publicly available corporate policy on toxics in their products, such as Walgreens,” added Gowda. “Without such a policy, Walgreens does not play an active role in ensuring the safety of the products it sells. Instead, Walgreens leaves it up to manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the safety of products.”

“I thank PIRG for this report and for its decades of leadership on this issue,” added Congresswoman Schakowsky.  “I will continue to work with PIRG and other consumer advocates to make sure unsafe products are kept off of store shelves.”

“Finally, Monday was Cyber Monday. We also urge parents to watch for hazards when shopping for toys on the web,” concluded Gowda. “Our report includes unsafe toys found in dollar stores, big box stores and online.”

To download our full Trouble in Toyland report, click here or go to our website at www.illinoispirg.org. Parents can find our list of unsafe toys, as well as tips for safe toy shopping this holiday season, at www.toysafetytips.org.  

Illinois PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) is a statewide non-profit, non-partisan organization that takes on powerful interests on behalf of its members, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. www.illinoispirg.org

Source: www.illinoispirg.org


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