How You Can Help

Spread the word about toy safety

Last week the Consumer Product Safety Commission -- the agency charged with keeping toys and other products safe -- announced they would let manufacturers ignore Congress and allow them to sell toys laden with toxic phthalates until they run out.

Email the CPSC and tell them that toys with over-the-limit levels of phthalates need to come off the shelves by February 2009, as the law states.

Background

While most toys on store shelves are safe, we continue to find toys that pose a range of safety hazards to small children. As a result, parents and other child-care providers need to remain vigilant in order to prevent toy-related deaths and injuries.

Recently, U.S. PIRG broadened the scope of unsafe toys to include toys labeled as phthalate-free. Our analysis last year shows that even some products labeled phthalate-free contain the dangerous chemical.

Toy manufacturers should act swiftly to recall unsafe products and give parents the information they need to allow them to purchase safe toys for their children. U.S. PIRG and our allies have prompted recalls or regulatory action on over 100 toys.