Connecticut Research Group Warns Parents About Toys That May Be Toxic for Your Children

The holiday shopping season is around the corner and there are some toys that may be dangerous for your child.

The Connecticut Public Interest Research Group said toys that are choking hazards include:

  • Pink Fairy Wand found at Dollar Tree stores has a plastic bead in the middle that easily twists off and children can choke on it.
     
  • Disney Pixar’s Finding Nemo Dory figurine found at Five Below breaks into a small part.
     
  • G2 Air Mini Football found at Give Below Breaks into a small part. The black plastic piece at the base easily comes off.
     
  • Disney Pixar Riplash Racers found at Marshall’s has a white plastic piece at the bottom intended to be removed and can be choked on.
     
  • Disney Planes found at Marshall’s has a plastic small propeller that detaches.
     
  • Nickelodeon Mermaid Dora found at Target has small arms that may break off.
     
  • Sonic Sound Sizzlers Noise magnets found a Family Dollar has strong magnets that nearly fit in a child’s throat and can harm internal organs when swallowed.
     
  • Singing Magnets found at Dollar Tree has strong magnets that nearly fit in a child’s throat and can harm internal organs when swallowed.
     
  • Magic Towel (football and baseball shaped) found at Dollar Tree has a small ball that could be a choking hazard.
     
  • PIRG tested certain toys’ noise levels with a hand-held decibel meter, not with the exact testing apparatus of the ASTM F963 standard, but exceeded its maximum noise levels.
     
  • Vtech Smart Wheels, Vtech Smart Animals, Vtech Spin and Learn Color Flashlight, Fisher Price Click N Learn, and Leap Frog Fridge Phonics all found at Target had decibel levels PIRG said was too loud for children, especially young ones who still are developing their hearing.
     
  • PIRG also tested toys with toxic metals. Preliminary testing revealing the Minions Locking Pencil Case and Slinky Jr. sold at Target and Magnetic Numbers sold at Dollar Tree contained levels higher than 60 ppm of chromium.
     
  • Fun Bubbles Jump Rope was found to contain 10,000 ppm of Phthalate DEHP, which is banned above 1,000 ppm, according to PIRG.
     

In response to PIRG’s report of hazardous toys, the Toy Industry Association said in a statement: “Nearly 85 percent of the products named in PIRG’s report were tested at a lab that is not accredited by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to do that testing, seriously calling into question the validity of their methods and results."

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