PHILADELPHIA—Hazardous
toys are still sold in stores across the country, according to the 21st
annual toy safety survey released today by the Pennsylvania Public
Interest Research Group, Education Fund (PennPIRG).
“While
we can report substantial progress after more than two decades of
advocacy on behalf of America’s littlest consumers, PennPIRG still
found trouble in toyland,” said Amina Fazlullah, Consumer Advocate with
PennPIRG Education Fund.
According
to the most recent data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC), almost 73,000 children under the age of five were treated in
emergency rooms for toy-related injuries in 2005. Twenty children died
from toy-related injuries last year.
“Even one toy-related death is too many, because these deaths are preventable,” continued Fazlullah.
The
21st annual PennPIRG Education Fund Trouble in Toyland report offers
safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small children and provides
examples of toys currently on store shelves that pose potential safety
hazards. PennPIRG Education Fund’s research focused on several
categories of toy dangers: toys that pose choking hazards, toys with
powerful magnets, toys that contain lead, and toys that contain toxic
chemicals.
Choking Hazards
In 1979, the CPSC banned the sale of toys for children under three if
they contain small parts. The 1994 Child Safety Protection Act mandated
an explicit choke hazard warning on toys with small parts for children
between three and six.
•
PennPIRG Education Fund researchers found toys for children under three
with small parts and toys with small parts for children under six
without the required choke hazard warning.
•
Children continue to choke on toys that meet the letter of the law. In
September, Playskool recalled the Team Talkin’ Tool Bench after two
children suffocated when the toy’s oversized plastic nails became
lodged in their throats. PennPIRG Education Fund found several toys on
store shelves that are shaped like corks or these toy nails that could
pose similar suffocation hazards.
“Toddlers
put everything in their mouths,” said Fazlullah. “CPSC should make the
small parts test more protective of children under three and consider
warning labels for toys shaped like corks or the toy nails that caused
two children to suffocate,” continued Fazlullah.
Magnetic Toys
Toymakers have started using powerful magnets in building toys and
magnetic jewelry. 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 little boy died last Thanksgiving and
many others have had life-saving surgery after swallowing magnets from
MEGA Brands’ Magnetix toys.
“Swallowing a magnet is not like swallowing a penny. Powerful magnets can wreak havoc inside the body,” cautioned Fazlullah.
MEGA
Brands has modified the design of Magnetix and placed a label on the
toy’s packaging warning parents about the dangers of magnets. PennPIRG
Education Fund called on CPSC to require a warning label on all
magnetic toys that tells parents to seek immediate medical attention if
a child swallows magnets.
Lead in Jewelry
Children exposed to lead can suffer delayed mental and physical
development or even death. In February, a four year old died of lead
poisoning after he swallowed a bracelet charm that contained 99% lead.
PennPIRG Education Fund researchers went to just a few stores and
easily found four items of children’s jewelry that contain high levels
of lead, ranging from 1.8% lead to 34% lead by weight.
“We’ve
known for decades that lead poses serious health risks to children, so
it is unacceptable that consumers can still find lead-laden children’s
jewelry on store shelves,” continued Fazlullah.
PennPIRG
Education Fund called on CPSC to enact and enforce mandatory
requirements for jewelry manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers to
ensure their products do not contain lead.
Phthalates
Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to soften plastic toys and
teethers, have been linked to a range of health effects, including
reproductive defects and early onset puberty. Some manufacturers have
started labeling their products as “phthalate-free.” PennPIRG Education
Fund commissioned an independent laboratory to test 10 children’s toys
and childcare articles with this label. Two of these products tested
positive for phthalates.
PennPIRG
Education Fund urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate
manufacturers that may be misleading consumers with the
“phthalate-free” label and renewed its call for the CPSC to ban
phthalates in all products intended for children under age five.
“Children’s products simply should not contain toxic chemicals,” said Fazlullah.
Fazlullah
reminded parents that the toy list in the PennPIRG Education Fund
report is only a sampling of the potential hazards on store shelves.
“Shoppers should examine all toys carefully for hidden dangers before
they make a purchase this holiday season,” Fazlullah added.
