CHICAGO: Hazardous toys are still sold in stores across the country, according to the 21 st annual toy safety survey released today by the Illinois Public Interest Research Group (Illinois PIRG).
"While we can report substantial progress after more than two decades of advocacy on behalf of America's littlest consumers, Illinois PIRG still found trouble in toyland," said Brian Imus, Director of Illinois PIRG.
According to 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. Sixteen children died from toy related injuries that same year.
"Even one toy-related death is too many, because these deaths are preventable," continued Imus.
Illinois PIRG was joined by Lisa Lipin, a Skokie mother who started a grass-roots effort in July 2003 to ban the sale of the Yo-Yo Water Ball after her son was nearly strangled to death by the toy when the cord wrapped three times around his neck as he was playing with it cutting off his airway. CPSC has recorded over 400 injuries to the eyes, face and neck since this toy came on the market three years ago.
"I started to advocate for a national ban because I felt that the CPSC had not done their job of informing parents around the country about the serious dangers that this toy poses" said Lipin. "In my opinion, there is concrete evidence that the Yo-Yo Water Ball poses a high risk of strangulation and should be banned nationally. The CPSC should not wait until a child's death before taking action."
Illinois PIRG called on CPSC to follow the state of Illinois's lead and ban the water yo-yo immediately.
The 21st annual IllinoisTrouble 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. Illinois PIRG'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 pose strangulation hazards.
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.
• Illinois PIRG 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. Illinois PIRG 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 Imus. "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 Imus.
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.
"Parents may not be aware of the dangers posed by small magnets," said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids in Danger. "While the large number of incidents occurred with the Magnetix toy because of poor manufacturing quality, any magnet can pose a risk to a child. Don't buy toys with magnets for children under 6 and seek immediate medical attention if you think your child may have swallowed magnets."
MEGA Brands has modified the design of Magnetix and placed a label on the toy's packaging warning parents about the dangers of magnets. Illinois PIRG 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. Illinois PIRG 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 Imus.
Illinois PIRG 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." Illinois PIRG commissioned an independent laboratory to test 10 children's toys and childcare articles with this label. Two of these products tested positive for phthalates.
Illinois PIRG 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 Imus.
Imus reminded parents that the toy list in the Illinois PIRG 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," Imus added.
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Illinois PIRG is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest organization dedicated to public health, consumer rights, and good government. The full report is available at www.illinoispirg.org
Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, is recognized as one of the top pediatric hospitals in the country and is rated number one in Illinois in rankings published in U.S. News & World Report. As the pediatric educational facility for Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, our physicians saw more than 100,000 patients last year.
