Parents should carefully examine toys for possible dangers before purchasing

November 23, 1999
Web posted at: 12:16 p.m. EST (1716 GMT)

In this story: 'Trouble in Toyland' Toy component toxic? RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Unsafe toys, especially those can cause a young child to choke, led to 14 deaths in the U.S. last year, according to a consumer group that urged holiday shoppers Tuesday to examine toys carefully before buying.

PIRG examples of potentially dangerous toys for young children: • Children's makeup and jewelry tin • Expressions 8 bangles and rings jewelry • Erasers in shapes of bloodshot eyes, bats, pumpkins • Small Jeep • Small police car • Small fire engine • Spider ring • Creepy Crawler bears • Translucent salamanders and insects • Fire-bellied toad dimensional puzzle Details   ALSO Read the PIRG report     SAFETY HOTLINE Toy Manufacturers of America (1-877-4TOY-SAFETY)     MESSAGE BOARD Children's health

In its annual toy safety survey, the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) said that despite passage of the 1994 Child Safety Protection Act, hazardous toys can still be found on toy store shelves across the country.

"While most manufacturers should be commended for complying with the law, parents should not assume that all toys on store shelves this holiday shopping season are safe or that they are properly labeled," said PIRG attorney Rachel Weintraub. "If a toy looks unsafe, don't buy it."

The PIRG "Trouble in Toyland" report lists 34 toys it considers dangerous, found during a survey of toy stores in October and November. According to PIRG:

• At least 17 of the toys violate the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) small parts standard designed to prevent choking deaths.

• Three toys violate the CPSC's new small ball regulations. Other toys narrowly evade the small parts standard, but still pose choking and other hazards.

Choking on small toy parts, balloons and small balls continues to be the leading cause of toy-related deaths.

According to the CPSC:

• At least 174 children died from 1990 to 1998 playing with toys.

• In 1998 alone, 14 children died playing with toys, eight of those from choking.

"We recommend that parents use toilet paper tubes to see if a small part fits through (it) and if a small part does, they should not purchase the toy for a child under 3 years old," Weintraub told a Washington news conference.

Weintraub says that if any parts of a toy fit through a toilet paper tube, parents should not buy it for children under 3 years old

She also warned parents to be aware of toys containing toxic chemicals known as phthalates, which are added to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic toys as a softener.

PIRG charges that the chemicals are linked to liver and kidney damage and are probable human carcinogens.

"It is outrageous that a scientist who buys a bottle of phthalate chemicals receives a full hazard warning, but a parent buying a PVC toy often finds it labeled as non-toxic," Weintraub said.

The Toy Manufacturers of America, an industry trade group, maintains there is no evidence that phthalates pose a risk to children.

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