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Dec 3, 2008 7:02 pm US/Eastern
Watchdog Group Finds Toxic Toys On The Market
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
As parents are in the middle of a buying frenzy for holiday gifts, here are some sobering statisics: 18 children died after playing with dangerous toys last year. Another 80,000 under 5-years-old were sent to the ER for toy related injuries. CBS 2's consumer reporter Kirstin Cole exposes the toys that may be harmful to your kids.
From crafting kits to electronics to the hottest Hannah Montana jewelry, one consumer watchdog group charges that profits are being put ahead of children's health after testing toys and finding a toxic soup of chemicals.
"Lead arsenic bromine phtalates, cadmium mercury, a lot of scary stuff in children's products," explained NYPIRG's Tracy Shelton.
One Melissa & Doug Band set was found to contain both lead and arsenic. Bromine and mercury were found in a Disney chair. A Leapster 2 Wall-E game was found to have lead and bromine and the Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop had choking parts, but not a prominent warning label.
For 23 years, the New York Public Interest Research Group has tested toys, warning parents of dangers not disclosed by manufacturers, and missed by the federal government, ultimately getting millions of potentially dangerous toys pulled from store shelves.
"Year in and year out it is a huge public service and it saves lives draws attention to this issue," Shelton said.
"It shouldn't be the government's responsibility. Anyone who makes products for children should make them safe," said Lisa Kasay of Harlem.
"They just care about money, that's all they care about, they don't care about our kids safety," said resident Sandy Paredes.
The Toy Industry Association, however, said toy makers do test their products and claim this study is alarmist.
"Each of those chemicals, there are limits for children's products but they have misrepresented and tested in a way that is not an accurate test for these substances," said Joan Lawrence of the Association.
In February, a new tougher guideline will protect children from many of the chemicals found in these toys. Meanwhile NYPIRG has had 130 toys recalled from their testing.
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