Report finds toxic chemicals in toys

A newly released report finds that while children’s toys are generally safer, many still present a significant risk, such as higher-than-legal levels of toxic chemicals.

“We’re on the toxic treadmill of chemical toys,” said Washington Rep. Marcus Riccelli at a news conference Tuesday following the release of a report prepared by the Washington Public Interest Research Group. “I believe these chemical companies are putting profit over our kids.”

Riccelli is the vice chairman of the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. He has two children and said he’s seen firsthand the risks toys can pose to children.

Andrew Gage, campaign manager for WashPIRG, said two chemicals found in dangerous amounts in some toys tested are chromium and phthalate. Chromium is used in toys’ coloring while phthalate is used to make plastic softer.

The toys were tested at a lab accredited by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

One toy, a Fun Bubble jump rope from Dollar Tree, had 10 times the legal limit of phthalates, Gage said.

The study also turned up toys that presented a choking hazard at Dollar Tree. One toy, a fairy wand, wasn’t a hazard, but it easily broke into smaller, more dangerous pieces, Gage said.

“It’s just an industry that’s not regulated enough,” he said.

Some toys also can affect kids’ hearing. Many toys that make noise are so loud they can cause deafness over time, Gage said. One toy on display at the news conference, a small fake telephone, produced noises as loud as 81 decibels.

Gage and Riccelli urged parents to educate themselves about what toys are unsafe. Two websites, toysafetytips.org and saferproducts.gov, are a good place to start, he said.

“If consumers are given full information they are going to make the right decision for their kids,” Riccelli said.

A quick and simple way to see if a toy is choking hazard is to put it inside an empty roll of toilet paper, Gage said; if the toy fits inside, it’s too small for a child under the age of 3.

The toy safety report is the 30th produced by the organization. Over time those 30 reports have led to 150 recalls or stop sale orders, Gage said.