The United States Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) has issued its 27th annual survey of toy safety, Trouble in Toyland. In the report, U.S. PIRG provides safety guidelines for consumers purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys that may pose potential safety hazards.
This year's report highlights health and safety concerns from:
- choking hazards from small parts, small balls, marbles, and balloons;
- lead in toys;
- magnets in toys;
- noisy toys; and
- phthalates in toys.
With the report, U.S. PIRG recommends that policymakers:
- ensure that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) gets the resources it needs to effectively protect consumers;
- continue vigorous oversight of implementation and enforcement of toy safety laws;
- require manufacturers to provide all chemical hazard and health-impact information to state and federal government;
- better protect Americans from toxins in products; and
- reject special interest efforts to weaken regulatory agencies' ability to conduct rulemaking and enforce health and safety rules.
Further, U.S. PIRG recommends that CPSC:
- review and expand its definition of a "small part" or "small toy";
- re-start its canceled rulemaking to restrict cadmium in children's jewelry;
- proceed with rulemaking to restrict magnets in toys;
- vigorously enforce lead and phthalate limits in toys, including further reducing the lead standard to 40 ppm; and
- ensure that new third-party testing programs meet the standards of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA).
For the latest on toy safety in the US and everywhere else, contact C&R!
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