Be careful about toxins in toys, groups urge

RALEIGH -- Despite new federal rules that limit certain toxins in children's toys, shoppers should still be on guard, according to U.S. PIRG, a federation of state public interest research groups.

The group's state office, N.C. Public Interest Research Group, released the 2008 Trouble in Toyland report Tuesday at WakeMed's Children's Emergency Department. Toy-related injuries sent more than 80,000 children under the age of 5 to the emergency room last year. Eighteen died that year from toy-related injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The group said lead in toys and children's jewelry, toxic phthalates and choking hazards remain big concerns. New federal rules will require more independent testing of toys and also limit the amount of lead and phthalates in toys, but they generally don't go into effect until early next year.

Ashley Chase, public interest advocate for the state group, said that because the new rules aren't in effect, it's still buyer beware for this shopping season.

And the group is worried about the future safety of toys. A legal opinion from the Consumer Product Safety Commission says companies can continue to sell toys with phthalate chemicals until they run out. Research has found that potential health effects of exposure to phthalates include reproductive defects, early onset of puberty and lower sperm counts.

"You never know how many backlogged toys they have," Chase said.

The report names a handful of toys as potential hazards. To read the full report, go to www.uspirg.org/issues/toy-safety. To learn more about dangerous toys, go to www.healthytoys.org, or to www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html, the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Toy Hazards Recall page.