Recall: Toys Still Found with Lead Paint Decade After Virtual Ban

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U.S. PIRG

On Wednesday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 30,000 units of BSN Sports rubber critter toys because of lead contamination. Despite Congress enacting stronger protections for toys and other children’s products 10 years ago this month due to a rash of China-manufactured lead contaminated toys, some toys with lead paint contamination are still reaching store shelves and getting into kids’ hands. The CPSC recommends that consumers take the toys away from children and contact the company for a refund.

“It’s unacceptable parents could unwittingly buy a toy contaminated with dangerous levels of lead in 2018. The CPSC’s continued vigilance has protected many consumers, but lead is extremely hazardous to children’s health. Even one lead-contaminated toy is too many,” said Tano Toussaint, Consumer Watchdog Associate for U.S. PIRG.

This latest recall harkens back to the 2007 rash of recalls that occured because of lead paint in toys and ultimately lead to stronger enforcement powers for the CPSC.  Those protections have decreased the number of lead contaminated toy recalls by an average of 97%. But this latest recall reveals that children are still being exposed to the same hazards, which advocacy organizations like U.S. PIRG are working to identify.

You can find out more about potentially dangerous toys through U.S. PIRG’s annual report “Trouble in Toyland”, which helps identify toxic toys in the marketplace and educate parents on how to protect their children.  The report led to more than 150 unsafe toys being recalled.

U.S. PIRG’s 2018 ‘Trouble in Toyland’ report will be released as holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, so that this holiday season: parents can shop safe and kids can play safe.

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