Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) , the Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), Florida Consumer Action Network (FCAN) and All Children’s Hospital teamed up to urge parents and shoppers to remain vigilant about hazardous toys currently on shelves. In addition, practicing toy safety – such as using helmets and fastening belts correctly – is just as important when it comes to keeping kids safe and out of the emergency room.

“I want families to have a happy and safe holiday. I highlight reports like Trouble in Toyland every year to empower today’s consumers with the information they need to keep their little ones safe. This is also an annual reminder of the additional tools consumers have year-round at their fingertips since the landmark Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed in 2008,” said U.S. Rep. Castor, who championed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. “This includes saferproducts.gov, where consumers can submit reports and search the database for product hazard reports.” Parents can also subscribe to government announcements of recalled products at www.recalls.gov 

Among the toys surveyed this year, PIRG found numerous choking hazards and five toys with concentrations of toxics (lead, chromium, phthalate) exceeding federal standards. The report also describes the potential hazards in toys and children’s products. The Consumer Protection Safety Commission does not test all toys, and not all toys on store shelves necessarily meet the Commission’s standards. The toys included in the 2014 Trouble in Toyland report are presented as examples, and other hazards may exist. That’s why parental vigilance is an important part of toy safety.

“As parents venture into crowded malls and browse for the perfect toy on the Internet this holiday season, they should remain vigilant about often‐hidden hazards posed by toys on store shelves, particularly as more and more toys are imported from countries where toy safety is not as stringent,” FCAN’s Olivia Babis said. “PIRG's report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.” 

The Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition at All Children’s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine was on hand to demonstrate the safe use of toys as a step towards keeping kids safe this holiday season.

“From choking hazards to exposure to toxic chemicals, there are many injuries and medical problems seen in emergency departments across the nation due to children’s toys,” said Joe Perno, M.D., pediatric emergency medicine physician and medical director for care coordination at All Children’s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine. “We want to help parents know and understand the safety risks in order to protect their children year-round.” 

The entire report can be found in the “Protecting Consumers” section of castor.house.gov

“Let’s not roll back on the progress we’ve made in protecting our littlelist consumers. Store shelves are replenished with new toys constantly – especially during the holidays -- and I urge families to use the resources on toy safety and remain vigilant.” 

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