Lead taints many toys, say health groups' tests

December 05, 2007|Associated Press

DETROIT - Tests on more than 1,200 children's products, most of them still on store shelves, found that 35 percent contain lead - many with levels far above the federal recall standard used for lead paint.

A Hannah Montana card game case, a Go Diego Go! backpack, and Circo brand shoes were among the tainted items. A coalition of environmental health groups performed the tests.

Only 20 percent of the toys and other products had no trace of lead or harmful chemicals, according to results being released today by the Michigan-based Ecology Center along with the national Center for Health, Environment and Justice, and groups in eight other states.

Of the 1,268 items, 23 were among millions of toys recalled this year. Mattel Inc. recalled more than 21 million Chinese-made toys on fears they were tainted with lead paint and tiny magnets that children could swallow.

The Consumer Action Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys (at healthytoys.org) shows how products rank.

"This is not about alarming parents," said Tracey Easthope, of the Ecology Center. "We're just trying to give people information."

Easthope said 17 percent of the products tested had levels of lead above the 600 parts per million federal standard that would trigger a recall of paint.

A spokesman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission said it would initiate recalls if warranted.