Every year when the holiday shopping season is about to kick off, the watchdog safety group U.S. Public Interest Safety Group puts together it’s “Trouble in Toyland” report.
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But there were still some flagged as unsafe.
Among the toys surveyed this year, we found potential choking and noise hazards, one toy that exceeded federal toxic standards, and three toys that preliminary testing showed may exceed federal standards.
Three days before the biggest shopping day of the year, toy safety advocates gathered at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas on Tuesday to tout their annual list of “potentially risky toys” being sold at national retailers, drug stores and dollar stores – including some toys that may contain toxic metals or chemicals, choking hazards or pose other risks to children.
In the past, the Toy Industry Association has taken issue with the Trouble in Toyland report.
The report found that a fairy wand was not labeled as a choking hazard, but had small parts that easily broke off. There were also inadequate choking hazard labels on the Disney Pixar Cars Riplash Races. Chromium compounds are also known to cause cancer, according to the OSPIRG report. U.S. PIRG and other safety and consumer groups say more needs to be done while the toy association says consumers should be aware that progress is being made and that most toys are safe. They found the Fun Bubbles jump rope from Dollar Tree had ten times the legal limit of phthalate DEHP, which is banned, and 190,000 ppm of phthalate DIBP, which is not banned. While still abiding by safety regulations, these toys should be avoided if they’re small enough that a child would place it near his ears. A team of inspectors looks for safety hazards that include toxic toys, choking hazards, labeling violations, powerful magnets and excessively loud toys.
Dr. Emmett says that young children choke all the time on small toys and parts. PIRG suggests that consumers should instead use a toilet paper roll to test for hazards and a doctor at Lurie Children’s Hospital cautioned parents to watch for small, round objects.
If you’re a parent of a small child, you may be familiar with the Go Go Smart Wheels vehicle from Vtech.
MassPIRG says while the high chromium content in some toys does not violate the law, it is a cause for concern, and the federal government should do further testing.
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“Kids swallowing magnets, especially if there’s more than that gets swallowed, is extremely unsafe”.
