logo Standing Up To Powerful Interests

Toy Safety

 

What's New

Last year brought a record number of product recalls. But, recalls are an ineffective mechanism for addressing products safety problems. Unsafe products should not wind up on store shelves in the first place.  

In December of 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, which would increase funding and staff for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), reduce lead in children’s toys and other products, and establish new testing requirements for children’s products. The Senate passed their version of the bill in March of 2008. Now they need to reconcile the bills before sending it to the president's desk.

How You Can Help

Tell NAM to support CPSC reforms

Now that the CPSC bill passed the Senate by a resounding 79-13 vote, all that’s left is for the House and Senate to negotiate their two bills so that they can send a final law to the president. However, the National Association of Manufacturers, which includes toy companies and others that make products regulated by the CPSC, continues its opposition to passage of the best parts of both bills and may try to delay or even kill the reforms.

Click here to email the National Association of Manufacturers and ask them to support the strongest possible CPSC reforms.

Click Here To Receive Our Toy Safety Updates

Sign up to receive e-mail updates about toy safety. 



Overview

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, Florida 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. Florida PIRG and our allies have prompted recalls or regulatory action on over 100 toys.

 




Florida PIRG recently released the 22nd annual toy safety report. PIRG research has prompted over 100 recalls or regulatory actions to address unsafe toys.