Arizona group’s report shows many toys could be harmful to children
Nov 20, 2018, 7:31 PM | Updated: 7:32 pm
(Photo by Taylor Kinnerup)
(Photo by Taylor Kinnerup)
PHOENIX – Thinking of buying slime, balloons or makeup for a kid you know this holiday season?
According to Arizona Public Interest Research Group, these are just some of the potentially dangerous toys on the market.
The group’s 33rd annual “Trouble in Toyland” report looked at 40 toys and found 15 of them to be problematic.
For example, at least six slime toys were found to be potentially poisonous.
Make sure kids you love enjoy the holiday season! Beware of potentially hidden dangers in toys that could take smiles away. Check out @ArizonaPIRG Education Fund's annual Trouble in Toyland report: https://t.co/EbIJTwU92T. Go to https://t.co/8VLUcszCJS for … toy safety tips. pic.twitter.com/KLBPRvvsEg
— Arizona PIRG (@ArizonaPIRG) November 20, 2018
“We found that a lot of popular slime toys on the market contain toxic levels of boron which can cause nausea, vomiting and long-term reproductive issues if ingested,” Aaron Kane, an Arizona PIRG field associate, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday.
The report also found many toys that could be choking hazards lacked the legally required label.
Eighty-seven percent of surveyed latex balloons, the No. 1 choking hazard to children according to the report, sold online were not labeled as such.
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Fidget spinners can be choking hazards as well, but because they are often marketed to adults and not classified as toys, they may lack the label.
The report said a good way to judge is to see if a toy part can fit through a cardboard toilet paper roll — if so, it’s small enough to get stuck in a child’s throat.
It may be tempting to purchase a trendy internet-connected toy, but the report warned that many may violate children’s privacy and other consumer protection laws.
“A lot of the smart toys actually also share information about kids, either to advertisers or other third parties, and a lot of the time, the parents aren’t able to opt out of features,” Kane said.
Other things to look out for are toys that make noise can loud enough to damage a child’s hearing, and children’s makeup that may contain asbestos — something the group found during last year’s investigation.
The report lists specific brands to avoid and toys that have been recalled.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ali Vetnar contributed to this report.
