Jason Pfeifle
CALPIRG Education Fund
Los Angeles, CA – Some toys that have been recalled for lead, powerful magnets, or other hazards can still be available for sale in online stores, according to California Public Interest Research Group Education Fund’s 31st annual Trouble in Toyland report. The survey of potentially hazardous toys found that consumers should be wary when shopping this holiday season.
The report lists toys recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from January 2015 to October 2016 with the message to consumers that these recalled toys may still be in homes. For large items such as cars, when they get recalled, owners will usually be contacted immediately through VIN numbers. However, that’s not the case with toy recalls.
“We should be able to trust that the toys we buy are safe. However, until that’s the case, consumers should understand two things: first, not all recalls may be well-publicized so you should check your house for previously recalled toys and second, some toys that are recalled may still be available online,” said Emma Brower, a Campaign Director with CALPIRG Education Fund.
For over 30 years, the Trouble in Toyland report has offered safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small children. Over the years, our reports have led to over 150 recalls and other enforcement actions.
“The holidays are a special time for our little loved ones, but it’s also the time we must be hyper vigilant in supervising all toy-related activities,” said Alan Nager, MD, MHA, director of Emergency and Transport Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “Toy-related injuries, such as choking, are preventable, and there are active steps we can take to help ensure a safe, fun-filled holiday season.”
Some of the recalled toys that our researchers found were still available for sale at online stores include:
Read our full report which includes a full list of recalled toys, those that we found available for sale online, as well as specific information including manufacturers’ names, pictures, and remedies for what consumers should do if they have the recalled toys in their homes.
It is illegal to sell a recalled product under CPSC rules. We have notified the CPSC about these potentially illegal sales and have asked them to investigate these toys further and take appropriate action.
The CPSC should improve recall effectiveness by:
Parents and caregivers can also take steps to protect children from potential hazards. We recommend that parents:
Over the past eight years, stronger rules have helped get some of the most dangerous toys and children’s products off the market. Rules put in place by the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act tightened lead limits and phased out dangerous phthalates.
To download our full Trouble in Toyland report, click here or go to our website at www.calpirgedfund.org.
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CALPIRG (Public Interest Research Group) Education Fund is an independent, non-partisan group that works for consumers and the public interest. Through research, public education and outreach, we serve as counterweights to the influence of powerful special interests that threaten our health, safety, or well-being.