Toy Chests Are Not Toys

Washington Post - 04 July 2008

Blog article from Washington Post writer Annys Shin,discussing the fact that toy chests are not toys and should not be treated as such.

RC2 to pay Thomas brand owner $15 million for toy recalls

Chicago Tribune - 08 July 2008

The owners of the Thomas brand, HIT Entertainment Ltd., filed and won a suit against RC2 Corp., the toy manufacturer that produced Thomas the Tank toys last year that had dangerously high lead levels.

Public put pressure on toy retailers to remove PVC toys from the market

Yahoo News - 11 February 2008

Public disapproval of PVC toys is causing some toy retailers to remove the items from shelves.

Safety worries dominate UK Toy Fair

BBC - 31 January 2008

In what may be a prelude to the Toy Fair to be held in New York in mid-February, a theme of safety underscored the new toys showcased at the Toy Fair in the UK.

Lawmakers urge Mattel to pull toy

The Chicago Tribune - 31 January 2008

Mattel agreed to recall a toy in Illinois after an investigation found the toy had lead levels in excess of the state’s legal limit, but the toy was not recalled nationwide. Now Illinois legislators are putting pressure on the toy manufacturer to do a full recall on the toy.

Mattel Posts Higher 4th Quarter Profit

The Associated Press - 31 January 2008

Despite a large number of toy recalls in late 2007, the toy manufacturing giant posted an increased profit in 4th quarter 2007.

Store told to pull toy high in lead paint

The Baltimore Sun - 01 February 2008

Baltimore’s health commissioner ordered a Rite Aid store to stop selling a LinkIts toy contained an item which tested high for lead paint. 

States cracking down on toy safety

Seattle Post Intelligencer - 29 January 2008

Washington lawmakers are working to ban the sale of recalled toys over the Internet after researchers found 141 recalled or hazardous toys available for sale.

Strict lead law targets toys

mlive.com - 04 January 2008

New state laws in Michigan would impose hefty fines on companies guilty of manufacturing lead or heavy metal tainted toys.

CPSC to Boost Toy Inspections at Ports

Associated Press - 07 January 2008

This story explains in depth the new role of the CPSC at various ports in the United States.

China investigates unsafe toy manufacturing

Associated Press - 06 January 2008

Chinese officials have begun a large scale crackdown on the manufacturing of unsafe toys in an attempt to repair the nation’s damaged reputation regarding toys.

Consumer Product Safety Commission to add inspectors

New York Times - 08 January 2008

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will be adding staff to increase scrutiny of imports after numerous dangerous recalls in 2007.

Toys "R" Us CEO Vows to Push Toy Safety

Associated Press - 12 December 2007

In this Q&A, Gerald L. Storch, chairman and CEO of Toys “R” Us Inc., the nation’s largest specialty toy seller discusses toy recalls and details what the retailer and the industry are doing to make toys safer.

Manufacturers say new toy study is flawed

The Patriot Ledger - 05 December 2007

Representatives from the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) question the validity of the study making headlines which found nearly one third of toys on shelves to have dangerous chemicals.

Hong Kong finds Chinese-made toy makeup sets contain toxic chemicals

Associated Press Article published on Yahoo News - 05 December 2007

Concerns about unsafe toys affect the international community as well. The concern now is whether the items were also imported into the United States.

Wall Street Journal: Over One-Third of Toys in Test Contain Dangerous Chemicals

Wall Street Journal - 05 December 2007

Another article referring to the recently released report by the Michigan-based Ecology Center along with the national Center for Health, Environment and Justice and groups in eight other states. The groups tested more than 1,000 toys and found many to contain dangerous concentrations of toxic chemicals.

Groups release guide to toxins in toys

Associated Press - 05 December 2007

In one of the most worrisome reports yet to be published this holiday season, a coalition, led by the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, Mich., tested toys and found more than 200 items that contained unsafe levels of lead. Further, “More then 33 percent of the 504 pieces of jewelry tested contained lead at levels greater than 600 parts per million, an amount that would trigger further testing by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”

Amazon.com posts The Hot Dozen toy list

Amazon.com -

Amazon’s hottest toys this season. Please note that these toys are not appropriate for all ages. Please carefully consider the child who will use any toy before making a purchase.

For Toddlers, Toy of Choice Is Tech Device

New York Times - 28 November 2007

This New York Times article discusses the growing trend of tech toys for very young children as well as some concerns issued by members of The American Academy of Pediatrics.

US Charities Wary of Donated Toys

New York Times article by the Associated Press - 04 December 2007

Charities are finding the many recalls to be problematic too. Some organizations are refusing donated toys this holiday season while others are having their staff and volunteers dedicate extra time to the task of making sure the donated toys haven’t been recalled. “Parents are being reminded that disposing of the toys this holiday doesn’t mean dropping them off at a local charity.”

ABC News offers advice on holiday shopping

ABC News - 03 December 2007

Toy safety experts went shopping at a toy store in Albany NY. They discuss some tips on buying safe toys.

10 Worst Toys List published by WATCH

WATCH (World Against Toys Causing Harm) -

Some of the toys on WATCH’s list of the 10 worst toys for the holiday season have subsequently been recalled and are no longer available. Some however remain on shelves. The reasons they are dangerous are not necessarily because they violate standards for health or are chocking hazards. Many of the items are simply dangerous designs. Read the list and start thinking critically about the toys you see on shelves this holiday season. 

China Bars Exports by 750 Toy Makers

New York Times - 02 November 2007

Chinese regulators said Thursday that they had suspended the export licenses of more than 750 toy companies because of quality control problems…

Chinese Toy Safety Concerns

BBC News - 07 November 2007

As Chinese factories roll out toys Christmas, their safety standards are still in question.

Oregon Lawmaker Calls for Improved Toy Safety

NPR.org - 13 November 2007

Following a string of recalls of toys made in China, Oregon Rep. Darlene Hooley, a Democrat and member of the House Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, is pushing a bill to require independent inspections for all toys sold in the U.S.

California Sues 20 Companies Over Toys With Lead

Reuters - 20 November 2007

The California attorney general and Los Angeles city attorney filed a lawsuit on Monday against 20 companies accusing them of manufacturing or selling toys with unlawfully high levels of lead…

Who's to Blame?

CNN - 14 November 2007

Pamela Gilbert of Coalitionfor Accountibility discusses who’s responsible when it comes to toy safety.

Parents Urged To Be Vigilant About Toy Safety

Houston Chronicle - 20 November 2007

Federal regulators sought today to restore parents’ confidence in toy safety, urging vigilance during the busy holiday shopping season with little mention of lead hazards that have prompted a record number of toy recalls…

U.S. PIRG: Toys Still Tainted With Lead

CNNMoney.com - 21 November 2007

More toys tainted with extremely high levels of lead were found on the shelves at major U.S. retailers…