A lead detector finds over 5000 parts per million of lead in this toy. (Photo by Lisa Ann Pinkerton)
Over the past year, the federal government has recalled more than 25
million toys because of unsafe levels of lead. But as Rebecca Williams
reports… some experts say there could still be unsafe toys on shelves
that have not been recalled:
Transcript
Over the past year, the federal government has recalled more than 25
million toys because of unsafe levels of lead. But as Rebecca Williams
reports… some experts say there could still be unsafe toys on shelves
that have not been recalled:
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has its own investigators. But
it does not have the authority to test toys before they reach the
market. That’s why it relies on toy companies, doctors and consumers
to report problems before recalling toys.
Rebecca Morley is the executive director of the National Center for
Healthy Housing. It’s trying to eliminate lead poisoning in children.
She says start with the toy recall list. But she says there could be
other toys that contain lead that haven’t been recalled yet:
“I would also err on the side of getting kids things that are not
painted. I wouldn’t get jewelry. I would avoid some of the vinyl toys
that we are seeing that are likely to contain lead that are on the
recall list.”
Morley says the only reliable way for parents to test for lead is to
send the toys to a lab.
For the Environment Report I’m Rebecca Williams.
