Denver,
Colorado--Hazardous toys are still sold in stores across the country, according
to the 22nd annual toy safety survey released today by the Colorado Public
Interest Research Group (CoPIRG).
“While we have seen progress after more than two decades of advocacy on behalf
of America’s littlest consumers, CoPIRG’s researchers still found trouble in
toyland on store shelves this month,” said CoPIRG’s Kirpal Singh. “But recent
high profile product recalls have given us a chance to urge Congress to pass
strong product safety reforms, and give kids the best holiday gift of all.”
According to the most recent data from the Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC), toy-related injuries sent almost 73,000 children
under the age of five to emergency rooms in 2005. Twenty children died from
toy-related injuries that year.
As the Holiday season
quickly approaches, it becomes more imperative that the toys we buy our
children are safe and healthy,” said U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO). “Recalls
of consumer products and toys are on the rise. They have more than doubled
since 2002, with almost half of the products recalled this year having
excessive amounts of lead. However, while getting these recalled products out
of the hands of children is important, recalls alone are not the answer. We
need to improve our system so that kids are protected from ever getting their
hands on such products in the first place.”
For 22 years, the CoPIRG Trouble in Toyland report has
offered safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small children and provides
examples of toys currently on store shelves that pose potential safety hazards.
CoPIRG’s 2007 research focused on several categories of toy
dangers: toys that pose choking hazards, toys with powerful magnets, toys that
contain lead, and toys that pose strangulation hazards. Most of the recalls
this year have been for hazards identified in previous editions of the CoPIRG
report—small powerful magnets, choking hazards and toys with excessive levels
of toxic lead, Singh noted.
Among the findings of the 2007 Trouble In Toyland:
Lead in Toys and Children’s Jewelry: Children exposed to
lead can suffer lowered IQ, delayed mental and physical development and even
death. In 2006, a four year old died of lead poisoning after he swallowed
a bracelet charm that contained 99% lead. CoPIRG researchers went to just
a few stores and easily found four children’s toys or jewelry containing high,
actionable levels of lead. One piece of jewelry we found was 65% lead by
weight, or over one thousand times current CPSC action levels.
“We’ve known for decades that lead poses serious health risks to children, yet
consumers can still find lead-laden children’s jewelry and lead painted toys on
store shelves,” continued Singh.
Magnetic Toys: Toymakers have started using powerful magnets in building toys,
magnetic jewelry and children’s playsets. If a child swallows more than
one magnet, they can attract each other in the body and cause a bowel
obstruction or life-threatening perforation. A 22-month old boy died in
2005 and many others have needed life-saving surgery after swallowing magnets.
This year, the CPSC has recalled popular Mattel toys, including Barbie and
Polly Pockets, for poorly designed magnets that fall out. Listed in the report
are several examples of sloppily-designed or poorly-labeled magnetic toys found
by PIRG researchers this fall.
“Swallowing a magnet is not like swallowing a penny. Powerful magnets can wreak
havoc inside the body,” cautioned Singh.
Choking Hazards: In 1979, the CPSC banned the sale of toys
for children younger than three if they contain small parts. The 1994
Child Safety Protection Act required an explicit choke hazard warning on toys
with small parts for children aged between three and six.
CoPIRG found toys for children under three with banned small parts and toys
with small parts for children under six without the required choke hazard
warning.
Other toy hazards found this year included toys containing other toxic
chemicals, excessively loud toys, and strangulation hazards.
“The
Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, is a little agency with a big job
it simply cannot do,” said Singh. “Congress needs to give it the tools it needs
to do that big job better.”
Singh called on Congress to pass the strongest possible
product safety reforms under consideration:
- Congress
should ban lead except at trace amounts.
- Congress
should increase the budget and staffing of CPSC as much as possible. CPSC
has only one toy tester and a tiny force of 15 inspectors to check
millions of toys at hundreds of ports of entry.
- Congress
should require companies to guarantee that their products have been
subject to independent third party testing before they put them on toy
store shelves. Congress should also give CPSC more tools to punish
companies that break the law.
“It doesn’t matter whether a toy is made in China or made in Kansas,” said Singh. “Companies need to make
sure that it is safe.”
Singh also reminded parents that the toy list in the CoPIRG report
is only a sampling of the potential hazards on store shelves.
“Shoppers should remember that no government agency tests toys. You should
examine all toys carefully for hidden dangers before you make a purchase this
holiday season, and watch for further recalls,” Singhconcluded.
--30--
CoPIRG, the Colorado Public Interest Research Group takes on powerful interests
on behalf of its members, working to win concrete results for our health and
our well-being. The full report is available at www.copirg.org. More information on toy
safety is available at PIRG’s www.toysafety.net
site.
