Lead in Toys Still A Risk!

Now that the holiday shopping season is over, toxic toy imports from China will likely slip out of the news. However, the issue is not over, especially for those who purchased toys months ago before the recalls and now junior is playing with contraband material.

Previously imported toys like Thomas the Tank Engine, Curious George dolls and jewelry still may contain lead and have found their way into your home so take a careful look. Aquadots, a popular craft toy had life threatening poisonous effects on five children in recent months before the recall.

To find out what’s been recalled go to www.recalls.gov. You can test toys with a simple kit from the hardware store that shows accessible lead on the surface. 'Lead Check' is a good test kit for this purpose. This is important because there is probably still lead in toys on store shelves – the government does not have the time to test everything and over 80% of our toys come from China.

For Dr. G’s recent commentary on toxics in toys, see: http://www.emagazine.com
 

Watch Dr. G talk about toys on the popular new morning show BETTER CT with Scot Haney and Kara Sundlun on Hartford’s Channel 3 (WFSB) on January 10^th