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Buyer Beware: Purchasing Safe Toys this Holiday Season

December 23, 2009 Posted in Defective Products Share

With the holidays upon us, consumers are often advised to shop early, in an effort to save time and money.  However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is alerting consumers that products and toys purchased early may have since been recalled.  Toys with small parts, broken toys, or even toys made with dangerous substances can be potentially fatal for children.  A recent statistic stated that 44 percent of toy-related deaths were due to choking, while nearly 80,000 emergency room visits for children under the age of five were a result of toy-related injuries.  

Some of the most recent toy and product recalls include:

Congress, recently passed landmark legislation aimed at protecting children from unsafe toys.  The Consumer Protection Safety Improvement Act increases the Consumer Public Safety Commission’s (CPSC) budget and provides it with the resources to speed recalls, move closer to banning toxic lead and phthalates in children’s toys, improve inspection of imported toys, establish an online database of unsafe toys, and establish mandatory testing for toys.

Consumers can get a list of all recalled toys and products by going to the CPSC Web site, www.cpsc.gov.   This list identifies recalled children’s products that are off store shelves but may still be in garages, basements, toy boxes or closets.  By taking the necessary precautions, you can help keep your child safe this holiday season. If you have any questions about this topic, please feel free to contact me.