Fewer toys found with worrisome chemicals

NEW YORK -- After the high-profile recalls of millions of lead-contaminated toys last year, a watchdog group said Wednesday that its tests found fewer toys with high levels of chemicals in them this year. But about a third of the toys tested still contained a worrisome level of chemicals. Healthytoys.org, a project of The Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental group in Michigan, in collaboration with other groups, tested about 1,500 toys for a variety of chemicals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and others. About half were similar to toys tested last year. About one-third were found to have a significant level of chemicals, while two-thirds had low levels or none of the chemicals the group tested for. Lead was detected in 20 percent of toys, compared with 35 percent last year. The toy industry, however, took issue with the group's testing methods and said that toy makers, the government and retailers have been working to improve safety standards.

Following last year's recalls, Congress passed legislation that lowers the allowed level of lead paint on toys to 90 parts per million and sets a federal limit on lead content within toys for the first time. That measure goes in effect in February. Toys that tested high for lead in the current study included a "High School Musical" necklace made for Disney by F.A.F. and a LeapFrog Leapster2 Wall-E game system. The Nintendo Wii tested high for bromine, which can be found in some flame retardants.

A complete list can be found at www.healthytoys.org.