New Study on Lead in Popular Toys Released

The Associated Press reports on a study released today that tested many popular toys (purchased at well known retailers such as Toys “R” Us, Wal-Mart, etc.) found that 35% contain lead, many above federally mandated limits.  The AP article is available here.  An excerpt:

[Tracey Easthope, director of the Ecology Center’s Environmental Health Project] said 17 percent of the children’s products tested hadlevels of lead above the 600 parts per million federal standard thatwould trigger a recall of lead paint. Jewelry products were the mostlikely to contain the high levels of lead, the center said, with 33.5percent containing levels above 600 ppm. Among the toys that testedabove that limit was a Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game, whose casetested at 3,056 ppm.

The American Academy of Pediatricsrecommends a level of 40 ppm of lead as the maximum that should beallowed in children’s products. Lead poisoning can cause irreversiblelearning disabilities and behavioral problems and, at very high levels,seizures, coma, and even death.

The timing of the study is inspired, of course, as it comes in the height of the shopping season, although some will already have completed their holiday shopping by now.  It certainly points to a need to rethink regulation (or the lack thereof) on this matter – whether it be through voluntary labeling, third party safety inspections or direct government regulation.  Will consumers reward markets, such as the EU, that regulate levels of hazardous chemicals in toys this season after the summer recalls?

ADL