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Toy shelves loaded with dangers to kids, group says

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By Laura A. Bischoff, Staff Writer Updated 8:34 AM Wednesday, November 25, 2009

COLUMBUS — Before hitting the stores in search of the perfect toy for under the Christmas tree, shoppers should do their homework to see if the gift might also contain lead or other toxic substances, according to the Ohio Public Interest Research Group.

In a report issued Tuesday, Nov. 24, the research group warned that store shelves are loaded with toys that pose choking hazards to babies and toddlers, blast out noise so loud it can damage kids’ hearing, and/or contain toxic levels of lead or phthalates, the chemicals used to make plastics pliable.

PIRG testing found a metal charm that was 71 percent lead by weight and lunch bags and girls purses that exceeded phthalates levels.

PIRG created an interactive website, accessible by smart phones or computers, that allows shoppers to check on potential hazards as well as report hazards that they find. The addresses are http://toysafety.mobi or www.toysafety.net.

In the wake of unprecedented recalls of toys and children’s products, Congress overhauled the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in August 2008. The result was more money for enforcement, mandatory testing of children’s products, more surveillance of imported products and a move toward banning toxic lead and phthalates levels except for trace amounts.

The new limits will be firmly but fairly enforced, said Consumer Products Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “We are much more vigilant than ever before,” she said.

Ohio PIRG’s Trouble in Toyland report included these shopping tips:

• Choking: Do not give toys with small parts to children 3 and under since these pose choking hazards. If a part can fit through a toilet paper holder, it’s too small for a small child.

• Loud Toys: If a toy seems too loud for you, it’s probably too loud for a child. Listen to it in the store before buying.

• Lead and Phthalates: Check toysafety.mobi or toysafety.net to see if a product is known to have exceeded allowable levels.

Contact this reporter at (614)224-1624 or lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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