Steps forward in the fight against Toxic Toys

Sun, 2010-03-14 05:21

#2

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

I will start this thread by posting some of the information that will give an idea of the seriousness of this problem.

Then I will post the positive news regarding this issue. This positive news however does not mean everything is fine because these are small victories and pressure needs to be applied to see that the legislation is carried through.

The first article is from 2008 but I will post it as not that much has changed. When laws are eventually passed they then take ages to come into effect.

Canada was one of the first countries to ban children's products proven to cause reproductive problems yet it took over half a year for the weak measures in the ban to supposedly come into effect.

There is lack of funding issued to protect children from being poisoned especially since most dangerous children's products are sold to the children of the common people via liquidation stores.

When foam-fisted laws are finally enacted to protect children the only difference becomes that toxic toys and teething-rings are no longer LEGALLY sold to their parents - but regardless they are sold in the millions with no consequence...

Sun, 2010-03-14 05:25

#3

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

[B]Some highlights from PIRG's 24 page report and list of SOME of the deadly toys[/B]

http://www.wispirg.org/uploads/hX/wk/hXwkFpGmMAk69EOX6A1o8Q/PIRG-toys-re...

Quote:
"...continued recalls in 2008 reminded Americans that no government agency tests toys before they are put on the shelves.

...Some children’s toys and jewelry may contain high levels of lead. In one case, we found a piece of jewelry that contained 45% lead by weight. We also found toys that exceed the new law’s lead paint standards, which will ban lead in paint in excess of 90 parts per million once in effect in August 2009.

...The CPSC does not test all toys, and not all toys on store shelves meet CPSC standards.

Recalls are a solution of last resort. Once products are in consumers’ homes, few will hear about the recall or will be able to take the products out of their homes. The better solution is to ensure that products are safe before they reach our stores and our shores.

...our efforts had largely been in vain. The CPSC had long suffered from Congressional neglect and administration efforts to weaken it (by both the 1980’s Reagan administration and this decade’s Bush administration.)

Those efforts to keep the CPSC small and weak were backed by the Toy Industry Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, manufacturers of all terrain vehicles (ATVs), and the American

Chemistry Council, among others.

Exposure to lead can affect almost every organ and system in the human body, especially the central nervous system. Lead is especially toxic to the brains of young children. A child exposed to a single high dose of lead—such as by swallowing a piece of metal jewelry containing lead—can suffer permanent neurological and behavioral damage, blood poisoning, and life-threatening encephalopathy. Exposure to low doses of lead can cause IQ deficits, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and deficits in vocabulary, fine motor skills, reaction time, and hand-eye coordination. "

Sun, 2010-03-14 05:30

#4

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/35087429.html

Quote:
[B]Dangerous Toys List Released[/B]

Ty Milburn and Katie DeLong

Nov 25, 2008

MILWAUKEE - Toy sales are big this time of year, and Tuesday, a warning went out about some dangerous toys.

Child safety advocates say there are potentially millions of dangerous toys on the shelves this year.

They say beware of toys made with lead paint and toxic chemicals.

Child safety advocates have a message to parents this year: beware.

The Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group compiled a list of some of the most dangerous toys found stocked on shelves.

They include the red plastic super car made by Four Seasons Merchandise, silly fish squirters made by Toysmith and Hasbro’s littlest pet shop.

Advocates say toys like these are dangerous to children because they are made with lead paint, toxic chemicals or they are not age appropriate.

“There is a lot of risk. I think parents need to be more aware, supervise their children,” Child Safety Expert Jane Howard said.

Earlier this year congress passed a law that makes it illegal to sell some of these toys,

but it won't protect families this Christmas.

“It’s not going to be in effect until February of 09 so it’s still buyer beware this season,”WISPIRG's Samantha Gibb said...

Safety advocates say when shopping for toys, always read the labels to make sure the toys you buy are made by brands you trust."

(This not an advertisement)

[CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO FIND A LIST of companies not to buy from.]

http://www.wispirg.org/uploads/hX/wk/hXwkFpGmMAk69EOX6A1o8Q/PIRG-toys-re...

There was a time that lead paint was used to paint interiors of houses.

It was banned due to safety reasons.

Now lead paint is being used to paint childrens' toys...

Sun, 2010-03-14 05:35

#5

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

[color=#4000FF]As you will see from this 2010 article, manufactures of children's toys have only begun to give in to pressure to stop using lead in toys. Now there will likely be another long struggle to bring in legistation to prevent them from merely substituting them with other substances that are nearly as harmful.[/color]

Quote:
[B]CPSC Chairman’s Statement on Cadmium in Children’s Products[/B]

By Chairman Tenenbaum on January 11, 2010

"The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is moving swiftly to deal with the replacement of lead with cadmium in certain children’s products imported from China. [They moved "swiftly" to stop the use of lead and it took years to get to this stage. LWB]

In a taped keynote speech to be delivered Tuesday to regulators at the APEC Toy Safety Initiative/Dialogue in Hong Kong, CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum warns against the use of heavy metals, “especially cadmium,” in children’s products. While praising the removal of lead in children’s products, Tenenbaum encouraged manufactures in China to refrain from substituting cadmium, antimony or barium in place of lead.

“All of us should be committed to keeping hazardous or toxic levels of heavy metals out of surface coatings and substrates of toys and children’s products,” she says.

Later on in the speech, Tenenbaum notes that “Voluntary efforts will only take us so far.” She points out that CPSC staff has been working on testing protocols and lab accreditation rules for regulated children’s products. The agency will develop mandatory standards, as needed, to deal with heavy metals in children’s products.

CPSC staff has opened a formal investigation into children’s metal jewelry identified in a recent news story to determine the action CPSC needs to take to keep children safe."

This address for this post is: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2010/01/cpsc-chairmans-statement-on-cadmium...

Sun, 2010-03-14 05:48

#6

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

[color=#4000FF]The evidence below indicates that toxins are easily detectable, in fact so easily detectable that there is no way any major manufacture has any excuse to be unaware that the toys they are mass producing have deadly chemicals in them.[/color]

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michigan/news.newsmain/article/5/0/160....

Quote:
"...Meuninck examines the toys using something that looks like a 'space gun'

"It's called an XRF, and it uses xray technology to tell us what chemicals are in the toys you brought here to be tested today. So we can see hazardous chemicals like lead, mercury and arsenic or cadmium which has been in the news a lot lately, and I can tell you in 30 seconds if they're in these toys" says Meuninck...

...State representative Ted Bledsoe is also at the toy testing event.

"Toys are played with by children, surely they're being regulated for chemicals already by the government?" asks Boyd-Barrett.

"Well actually they're not well regulated by the government," says Bledsoe, "Most of these toys are being imported from abroad, many of them are from Ch!na and the standards for the manufacture of toys in many of these other countries are not up to American standards, although even some of the toys produced in the United States and Canada have unacceptable levels of these dangerous substances."

In fact, lead is better regulated now than in the past. The federal government recently tightened limits on lead in toys. But Meuninck says increasingly that lead is being replaced by cadmium. Cadmium is a known carcinogen and can cause kidney damage and other problems...

...One of them was a leapfrog play table which tested high for lead. She threw it in the garbage...

...A package of bills pending in the Michigan Legislature goes some way to addressing concerns about toxic toys. It would make toy manufacturers put information about toxic chemicals found in their products into a public database.

Still, the onus would still be on parents to find out for themselves which toys are toxic..."

© Copyright 2010, Michigan Radio

So after the years it took for them to finally "crack down" on the use of lead in toys, they now will begin slowly preparing to crack down on the substitutions which cause cancer instead of brain damage! Your tax dollars at work.

Sun, 2010-03-14 05:52

#7

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

http://www.ehow.com/how_5716232_spot-toxic-toys.html

Quote:
[B]How to Spot Toxic Toys[/B]

By Z. Padmore

It's the time of the year when children get excited and antsy. They know it's coming: the holiday in which you all exchanges gifts.

They've prepared an elaborate list of the new toys (advertised to them between cartoon commercials). And you're prepared this time as well. You've clipped the Toys "R" Us coupons and scoped the best deals at Walmart.

Then you're off to a discount store, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, or 99 cent store to fill the basket with little goodies.

But stop there. According to the Ecology Center, a health-advocacy group, one out of every five toys contains lead. Yes, lead - the substance that can lead to brain and nervous system damage.

Before you start your shopping, learn the warning signs of toxic toys.

Step 1

Know the common offenders. There are five chemicals that are known to cause allergies and even disease. These include lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and bromine. For those countries that mandate transparency, these chemicals are sometimes listed as components of the toy.

Step 2

Avoid polyvinyl chloride. That shiny vinyl-like substance on many clothing accessories is polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is made from plastic run-off and can contain phthalates, which work similarly to human hormones.

Children's toys made with PVC were banned in Europe. In the United States, some companies have voluntarily ceased manufacturing them. However, products containing PVC are still widely manufactured in China, a major exporter of toys purchased in the United States. Look for the recycling code designated for this chemical (V 3).

Step 3

Avoid children's jewelry. Children's jewlery is often made with high amounts of PVC. That rubbery plastic that we've become accustomed to is actually dangerously loaded with chemicals. Avoid earrings, necklaces, and bracelets made of this cheap material.

Step 4

Look for toy certification. On the label, the toy will have a little note about the manufacturing country. It will also say "tested by" a government or another agency. Make sure this exists on the label or box of the toy. It will verify that it has been tested for harmful effects of dangerous chemicals.

Step 5

Research the toy before purchasing it. Healthy Stuff is a database listing over 1,000 toys. The site tests and grades toys, and reports on the chemical amounts for each one. Avoid Ice Age backpacks, which have a high level of PVC in them. Many Barbie accessories come up clean, listed as 'None' on the reports.

Step 6

Spend more; buy less. Many parents buy one big gift with smaller toys from discount stores to make holiday giving bountiful. This holiday season, choose three midpriced items that pass the Healthy Stuff tests. Pricier items with an assured safety save you in the long run. Don't forsake your children's health for thrift.

Sun, 2010-03-14 05:55

#8

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/25/2801042.htm

Quote:
[B]Australia bans toxic toys[/B]

By Sabra Lane for PM and staff

Posted Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:00pm AEDT

"...Consumer Affairs Minister Craig Emerson says any plastic baby products containing more than 1 per cent of diethylhexyl phthalate, known as DEHP, are now prohibited from sale in Australia.

Dr Emerson says he has made the decision because international research has linked the chemical to reproductive difficulties.

"We've banned a substance which is used in the softening of babies' toys out of a very precautionary approach," he said.

"The overseas evidence is that if this particular chemical substance were ingested by sucking on say a dummy or a soft toy for about three hours a day that could cause problems...

..."It's unlikely to happen but when it comes to the health of our children, of our infants, we must take a very precautionary approach."

..."[We want] to get ahead of the game so that people who are thinking of importing particular products can think again," he said..."

[B]Good for them...[/B]

Tue, 2010-04-20 22:41

#9

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

[B][color=#4000FF]More good news.[/color][/B]

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/02/08/toxic-toys-scrutinized-under-was...

Quote:
[B]Toxic Toys Scrutinized Under Washington State Law[/B]

By GreenBiz Staff

Published February 08, 2010

"OLYMPIA, WA — Washington State's Department of Ecology launched at the end of January its pilot project to begin requiring manufacturers to disclose toxic ingredients in toys and other children's products.

The project launched with the publication of 66 chemicals that will fall under the scope of the Children's Safe Product Act (CSPA), signed into law in April 2008. With the publication of the chemicals list, lawmakers and manufacturers will work together to develop the most effective way to implement reporting requirements.

Once the pilot project is completed, the CSPA will require manufacturers to disclose whether any products intended for use by children contain any of these chemicals. The 66 chemicals currently on the list have been identified as toxic, present in human tissue, and present in children's toys..."

Tue, 2010-04-20 22:48

#10

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

[B][color=#4000FF]This is intended for Americans but it is good news for everyone as other countries will eventually follow suit if they are not already a step ahead.[/color][/B]

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1421/p/dia/action/public/?action_KE...
HealthyStuff.org - Research Toxic chemicals in everyday products
Congress is ready to fix our broken chemicals policy, but they need to hear from you!

"Good news! Thanks to the overwhelming support from people like you, many states have been successful in passing laws to protect families from harmful chemicals such as toxic flame retardants, lead, and bisphenol A (BPA). Now Congress is finally ready to act.

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) have introduced legislation to overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), our failed and outdated chemical law.

[url=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=6f6PCD42FkkrkCH4t... here[/url] to ask your elected officials to co-sponsor and strengthen the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010.

The Safe Chemicals Act goes a long way toward bringing our failing chemical management system into the 21st century. It puts our health first, provides better information to businesses, and helps the average consumer avoid toxic chemicals in every day products.

But to adequately protect consumers from harmful chemicals, several shortcomings in the current bill must be addressed. Right now, the bill would allow hundreds of new chemicals to enter the market and be used in consumer products for many years without first requiring them to be fully safety tested. The proposed bill also makes it too hard to get known dangerous chemicals off the market.

We need your help to show Congress that there is widespread support for overhauling TSCA. Please send them an email today and then invite your friends and family to participate.

The Safe Chemicals Act will open doors to a new economy with good American jobs and a future of products that don't harm our health or the environment. Please make your voice heard today.

Thanks for [url=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZtPGx8BzUI1wa8QKl... action[/url] and joining the millions of Americans who are working together for a safer and healthier future.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Meuninck
Ecology Center (the creators of HealthyStuff.org) "

Sat, 2010-04-24 11:04

#11

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

Just a bump on the head of those who choose millions of dollars selling millions of toxic toys to babies over the ethical choice millions of people obviously would also not make, since they are willing to jeopardise their children to save a phucking dollar.

Tue, 2011-03-22 22:36

#12

lonewolfbunn lonewolfbunn's picture

So why are these devices that can detect toxins within seconds not used BEFORE toxic toys are sold in the millions?

The answer is sickening but not surprising. If toys that cause cancer and brain damage were taken off the market, a few toy company CEO's would have to drive a Beamer instead of a Bentley.

http://heavymetalsantaclaws.bravehost.com/hmsanta.html