Small magnets, balloons and slime top this year’s “Trouble in Toyland” report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
Ahead of the holidays, the consumer watchdog group tested 40 potentially hazardous toys and declared 15 dangerous to children.
“You shouldn’t have to be a detective, you shouldn’t have to worry the toy you’re giving a child might be toxic or dangerous,” said Mike Litt, with the research group.
The group says potentially unsafe toys are still widely available, including those with high concentrations of chemicals and potential choking hazards.
Researchers found six popular brands of slime contain high amounts of the chemical “boron.”
“When ingested, boron in moderate amounts can cause nausea, vomiting, and long term reproductive health issues,” Litt also said.
Ken Seiter, Executive Vice President of Marketing Communications for The Toy Association, said “in order for a child to eat four to five grams of boron, they have to eat like two-and-a-half pounds of slime.”
Seiter is with The Toy Association, a trade group that represents toy makers. He calls the list deliberately misleading, and notes the U.S. has some of the strictest toy standards in the world.
Researchers found 87% of latex balloons sold on Amazon don’t have legally required warnings about choking hazards. And, the group also urged parents to avoid buying tiny rare-earth magnets.
Rachel Weintraub, with the Consumer Federation of America, said “swallowing more than one of these can rip through stomach lining.”
Both the toy industry and researchers agree that despite these concerns, toys are safer than ever before thanks to decades of work by safety advocates.
Toys with internet connections also made the list because they could be collecting data on children and sharing it with others.
