MASSPIRG Releases 29th Annual Dangerous and Toxic Toys Report

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Wednesday, December 03, 2014

On Tuesday, at the Greendale Family Branch YMCA, the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) released its 29th Annual 'Trouble in Toyland' report and list of dangerous toys.

SEE SLIDES BELOW: 10 OF MASSPIRG'S MOST DANGEROUS TOYS

"The message here today is really clear," said Michael Basmajian, MASSPIRG Advocate. "We want to protect our youngest consumers from unsafe toys. Over the last 29 years, U.S. PIRG's toy safety survey has helped recall more than 150 toys and unsafe products."

Several Different Hazards

The 'Trouble in Toyland' Report addressed several hazards including dangerous metals, chemicals, choking hazards, dangerous batteries and magnets, and loud toys.  According to Basmajian, when it comes to toxic hazards in toys, "the most dangerous ones are invisible." For example, a 'Jake and the Neverland Pirates' tambourine deemed toxic due to its amount of chromium. Specifically, the tambourine had nine times the allowable limit of chromium. According to the report, "Chromium (VI) is potentially harmful even at relatively low concentrations. Skin contact can cause severe allergic reactions including skin redness, swelling and ulcers. Chromium (VI) compounds are also known to cause cancer, either in the lungs after inhalation or in the stomach after digestion."

A second hazard is the potential of choking on small pieces.  Basmajian said, "Choking hazards are the leading cause of recall of toys. 86,000 toys in the past year have been recalled because of choking hazards." Basmajian used the example of a balloon kit. According to Basmajian, the law states that balloon toys are for children eight-years-old and up. However, on the product (pictured) Basmajian revealed at the press conference, the balloon kit had two separate places where it read 'Ages 3 and up.'

Magnets can also be a hazard to children. "Since 2009, there have been 2,900 instances of magnet ingestion causing multiple stomach injuries," said Basmajian. 'Buckyballs' is currently subject to a recall by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 'Buckyballs' are magnetic building toys. It is currently illegal for these to be sold in the United States. However, they are still sold online despite the CPSC's actions to remove them from the market.

Many batteries are near small parts as well. Toys that are accessible to children under three often times are battery powered. For example, the 'Cherubic Cetacean', a 'bright, multi-color light whale' is illegal in Australia because children are able to remove the batteries easily. According to the report, "In addition, under mild abuse it broke into small parts," making it a choking hazard. 

Finally, MASSPIRG presented the 'Leap Frog Chat and Count Smartphone.' This toy exceeds the federal regulated noise level when a child puts it up to their ears and could harm children's hearing.

MASSPIRG's Recommendations

For parents, MASSPIRG makes these recommendations: (1) go to toysafetytips.org to shop with U.S. PIRG Education Fund's Toy Safety Tips, (2) examine toys for hazards before purchase, and (3)report unsafe products to http://www.saferproducts.gov.

"We believe the rules should be strengthened," said Basmajian. "There are many more hazards in children's toys that need to be addressed and policy makers should push to overhaul U.S. toxic policies."

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Related Slideshow: 10 of MASSPIRG’s Most Dangerous Toys

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