Providence, Rhode Island--
Hazardous toys continue to be sold in stores across the country, according
to a nationwide survey released
today by the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group (RIPIRG).
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 Nora Ellertsen, RIPIRG’s field associate.
The annual RIPIRG 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.
RIPIRG’s 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 RIPIRG report.
RIPIRG’s 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. RIPIRG’s 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. RIPIRG’s 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: RIPIRG 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. RIPIRG 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, including 3 here in Rhode Island.
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,
Ellertsen noted. RIPIRG 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 Ellertsen.
Ellertsen noted that the toy list in the RIPIRG 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,” Ellertsen added. “While most manufacturers comply with
the law, parents should not assume that all toys on store shelves are safe
or adequately labeled,” continued Ellertsen.
RIPIRG 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.
