Vinyl toys that may be harmful to children under age 6

In this story:

• 'Toys can be marketed as poison'
• Industry calls claims half-truths
• Federal report due before holiday
• Related stories and sites

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Toy makers are battling a drive to ban all vinyl toys for children under age 6, as the critical Christmas shopping season gets under way.

The federal government is investigating claims that a chemical used in some of the toys may be harmful to small children, and the concerns have caused at least one major retailer to remove the toys from its shelves voluntarily.

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The nonprofit National Environmental Trust released test results November 12 showing that 33 common vinyl children's toys contain high levels of phthalate, a softening agent that the group says causes liver and kidney damage when ingested by laboratory animals.

"The most important Christmas gift that the Clinton administration could give to every American family is to guarantee that these toxic toys do not ever appear again under the Christmas trees of American families," said Phillip Clapp, president of the trust.

Eleven other organizations, including Greenpeace and consumer, and public health and religious groups, have sided with the trust on the issue, and asked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to immediately ban toys containing phthalates for young children, who tend to chew or suck on their toys.

"Unlike our drugs and other materials that must be tested for safety and efficacy through the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, toys can be marketed as poison without any information, until they're proven by the government to be unsafe," said Rick Hind of Greenpeace.

Toys 'R' Us, a worldwide toy seller, reacted to the controversy by saying it would remove all direct-to-mouth toys that contain phtahales from its store shelves.

Children tend to chew and suck on their toys

The Toy Manufacturers of America, however, said the campaign to ban the toys is based on scientific half-truths. The Chemical Manufacturers Association backs up the toy makers.

"These toys have been used for years," said Jim Santory, a researcher for the Chemical Manufacturers Association, who notes that phthalates have been an ingredient in household plastic products since 1930.

"A small amount -- a very, very minute amount -- of phthalates will come out, or may come out, when a child sucks on a toy. We believe that minute amount is safe, based on the 25 years of testing we've done on phthalates."

The Consumer Products Safety Commission is working on "an extensive scientific evaluation of phthalates and whether there is a risk of exposure to children. Exposure is key," the commission said in a statement.

The commission said it plans to release its findings before Christmas.

Meanwhile, it's up to parents to decide.

Sue Olsen said she's not yet yanking any toys out of the mouth of her toddler son Nicholas.

"It does concern me," she said, "but I think you have to wait until all the evidence is in."

Correspondent Rusty Dornin and the Environmental News Network contributed to this report.