The Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) recently released its 24th annual survey of toy safety, ominously titled, “Trouble in Toyland.” We find the report especially noteworthy this year, after the seemingly endless onslaught of toy recalls we’ve seen over the past few years. The 2009 report looked into the issues of choking hazards, excessive noise, and lead and phthalates in toys. In addition to naming specific products that pose safety hazards, the report offers some solid guidelines to keep in mind when purchasing toys for small children, but the bottom line is, parents need to be vigilant. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) doesn’t test every toy on the market, and some toys you find on the shelves do not meet CPSC standards.
To make safe toy buying easier, The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG) has created an interactive website where parents can sign up to receive alerts about potentially dangerous toys, learn more about choosing safe toys, and share their own information about unsafe toys. Check it out at http://www.uspirg.org/issues/toy-safety.
To download the complete 2009 Trouble in Toyland report, visit http://bit.ly/797yeS.
