Consumer Law

U.S. PIRG Issues 24th Annual "Trouble in Toyland" Report

By Brian Wolfman

In advance of the holiday-season toy-buying orgy, U.S. PIRG has issued its 24th annual "Trouble in Toyland" Report, which warns parents of unsafe toys --- toys that pose choking hazards for young kids, that contain lead, phthalates, or other toxic substances, and that are dangerously loud. The Report's Executive Summary contains both a synopsis of current problems and suggestions for future legislative and regulatory reform.

Today's Washington Post contains this article on the Report and the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recent efforts to rid toys of dangerous chemicals, and a video clip from PIRG's press conference featuring Liz Hitchcock, PIRG's public health advocate. 

PIRG's press release highlights four of the Report's findings:

? Despite a ban on small parts in toys for children under three, PIRG researchers found toys that pose serious choking hazards. U.S. PIRG?s analysis of CPSC recalls and other actions in 2009 showed that these hazards were the cause of more than 5 million products being recalled from store shelves. Between 1990 and 2008, at least 196 children died after choking or asphyxiating on a toy or toy part; three died in 2008 alone.

? Some toys tested exceeded 85 decibels sound level, which is the volume threshold established under American Society for Testing and Materials standards. Almost 15 percent of children aged 6 to 17 show signs of hearing loss.

? Effective February 2009, toys and other children?s products containing more than 0.1% of phthalates were banned. Still, PIRG researchers found children?s products that contained concentrations of phthalates up to 7.2%.

? Lead has negative health effects on almost every organ and system in the human body. In August 2009, the allowable level of lead in the paint on a children?s product was reduced to 90 ppm, and the allowable level of lead in a children?s product was reduced to 300ppm. The CPSC has announced recalls and other regulatory actions involving nearly 1.3 million toys and other children?s product in 2009 for violations of the lead paint standard. PIRG researchers found three children?s toys or jewelry containing high levels of lead or lead paint. U.S. PIRG notified the CPSC in October of one preschool book that contained lead paint at 1900 ppm, or more than 20 times the allowable maximum of 90 ppm.

Full post as published by CL&P Blog on November 25, 2009 (boomark / email).