Product & Food Safety News

BOSTON—Hazardous toys continue to be sold in stores across the country, according to a nationwide survey released today by the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG).

In 2003, more than 200,000 people sought treatment in hospital emergency rooms for toy-related injuries; more than a third of those injured were under five years of age. Eleven children under the age of 15 died from toy related injuries in 2003.

"Even one toy-related death is too many, because these deaths are preventable," said Eric Bourassa.

The annual MASSPIRG "Trouble in Toyland" report, available at www.toysafety.net, offers safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that pose potential safety hazards. MASSPIRG reports have led to more than 120 Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalls and other enforcement actions. The CPSC took action on 17 toys identified in the 2003 PIRG report.

MASSPIRG research focused on four categories of toy dangers: toys that pose choking hazards, toys that are dangerously loud, toys that contain toxic chemicals, and toys that pose strangulation hazards. Highlights of the report's findings include:

Choking Hazards: Choking on small parts, small balls and balloons remains a leading cause of toy-related deaths and injuries. MASSPIRG researchers found:

- Although most toys on store shelves are safe, PIRG researchers still found toys for children under three with small parts and toys with small parts for children under six without the statutory choke hazard warning;

- Balloons are still manufactured and marketed in shapes and colors attractive to young children and are often sold in unlabeled bins, in violation of the law requiring that they be labeled as unsafe for children younger than eight years old; and

- Toy manufacturers are over-labeling toys by placing choke hazard warnings on items that do not contain small parts or small balls.

Dangerously Loud Toys: Last year, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) set new, voluntary acoustics standard for toys in order to protect children's hearing. The voluntary standard says that most toys should not produce a sound louder than 90 decibels when measured from a distance of about 10 inches. MASSPIRG researchers tested several toys and found:

- Several toys currently on toy store shelves may not meet the new ASTM standards for appropriately loud toys;

- Several toys currently on toy store shelves exceed 100 decibels when measured at close range. Prolonged exposure to sounds at 85 decibels or higher can result in hearing damage.

Potentially Toxic Toys: MASSPIRG researchers found many examples of children's nail polish containing xylene, a synthetic chemical produced from petroleum, and dibutyl phthalate, a chemical recently banned in the European Union for use in children's products. Since children are prone to putting their hands in their mouths, nail polish offers a direct route of exposure to these potentially toxic chemicals. MASSPIRG recommended that parents carefully read product labeling and called on manufacturers to eliminate toxic chemicals from children's cosmetic sets.

Strangulation Hazards: Several countries, including the United Kingdom, have banned the popular yo-yo water ball because of incidents in which the toy wrapped tightly around children's necks or caused other injuries to the eyes, face and head. As of October 2004, the CPSC had received almost 400 injury reports related to yo-yo water balls.

Despite the growing numbers of injuries sustained by children playing with the yo-yo water ball, the CPSC has not taken action. The CPSC is well aware of the dangers posed by this toy. In October, CPSC Chairman Stratton testified before Congress that he had taken away his own child's yo-yo water ball, Bourassa noted. MASSPIRG called on the CPSC to ban sales of all water yo-yo ball products immediately.

"The CPSC should not wait until a child dies to protect children from the dangers posed by playing with this toy," said Bourassa.

Bourassa noted that the toy list in the MASSPIRG 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," Bourassa added. "While most manufacturers comply with the law, parents should not assume that all toys on store shelves are safe or adequately labeled," continued Bourassa.

MASSPIRG is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest organization dedicated to environmental protection, consumer rights, and good government. The full report is available at http://www.toysafety.net/. The short brochure "PIRG's Tips for Toy Safety," is also available for download in both English and Spanish.