THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 23, 1994 TAG: 9411230464
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH SIMPSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 120 lines
Brightly colored pegs that can lodge in children's throats. Hot-pink ``Gak Splat'' with hidden crystals that can cut fingers. A radio-controlled car that can catch a child's hair in the axle.
These toys may top your children's gift lists this year, but a national consumer group is warning parents to leave them on the shelf.
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group released its annual survey, ``Trouble in Toyland,'' on Tuesday. This year's list contains 24 toys it terms dangerous.
``Toys are supposed to bring children pleasure and joy, but too often bring pain and sometimes even death,'' Matt Guerin, a campaign director for the group, said at a Virginia Beach news conference.
Most of the toys on the list contain small parts that can choke children. Wooden beads, people figurines, balloons, and wheels on toy trucks - all can be fun in children's hands one minute and fatal in their throats the next.
The list also includes a children's fingernail polish that contains toxins, and ``Blaster Balls,'' two balls that make an explosive noise that could be hazardous to a child's ear.
One toy on the list, a Playskool radio-controlled fire chief car, doesn't have an on-off switch, and can be accidentally activated by other remotes. Guerin said the axle entangled a child's hair up to her scalp when the car was accidentally turned on by a TV remote control. Hasbro has promised to redesign the car but has not recalled old models. They are still for sale.
At least 26 children died in 1993 playing with toys, and an estimated 165,400 were treated in emergency rooms. Choking on small toy parts, balloons and small balls is the leading cause of toy-related deaths, killing about 15 children and injuring 2,700 others every year.
Eleven of the toys on this year's ``Trouble in Toyland'' list violate federal ``small parts'' standards, which were written to prevent choking deaths. Even if toys are labeled for children 3 and over, small parts that are brightly colored have ``play value'' for children younger than that age. Those toys are still subject to the federal regulations.
Recently passed legislation has toughened ``small parts'' regulations even more. The Child Safety Protection Act, which takes effect in January, bans small balls and objects with a diameter less than 1 3/4 inches for children under 3.
``While not technically illegal for a few more weeks, more toys will be sold in the next month than at any other time of the year,'' Guerin said. ``Continuing to sell these potential instruments of death is beyond reprehensible.''
The group recommends that parents of children under 3 test small parts by seeing whether they fit into a cardboard toilet-paper tube. If a ball or toy part fits into the tube - which is about the size of a child's throat - it is hazardous to children under 3.
Other recommendations:
Read age and safety labels.
Keep deflated balloons and broken balloon pieces away from children.
Be wary of rounded and oval objects. They fit easily into a child's mouth and are difficult to remove from the throat.
Keep toys intended for older children away from younger ones. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Kimberly Barrett, of U.S. Public Interest Research Group, shows how
to judge whether a toy could be swallowed.
[The following appeared on Page A6.]
TOYS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Dangerous toys that will be banned or carry warning labels next year
remain on sale through the holiday shopping season, a consumer group
warned Tuesday. A new federal law regarding them will not take
effect until Jan. 1, said the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
It urges that buyers check toys bought in bins at discount stores.
What follows is a list of toys that have caused choking, poisoning
and other hazards.
Balls intended for children under age 3, that have a diameter of
less than 1 3/4 inches.
Balloons for kids under 8, like a jumbo set of balloons called
``Baby's 1st Birthday'' or ``Magic Water Snake.''
``Easy Grip Pegs'' and ``Tactilmat Pegboard,'' made by Ideal School
Supply Co.
``Jumbo Value Pack Wood Shapes'' distributed by Holiday Industries.
``London Double Decker Bus. Friction Power'' made by ILC.
Cheap toys often sold in bins at discount stores: ``Jumping Frog,''
``Press & Go Choo Choo Train'' ``Press 'N Go Plane with Signs''
``Little People,'' ``Main Street,'', the old version, Stock No.
2500, made by Fisher-Price.
``The Super Whistler,'' 62 piece black oak hardwood train set, made
by MyKids Toy Mfg. Co.
``45 Piece Tool Bench,'' made by Newtoy Co. Inc.
Nickelodeon Gak Splat, made by Mattel Inc.
Blast Balls, two small stone-like balls that create a loud explosive
noise, like caps, when banged together, made by The Nature Company.
Preschool Radio Control fire chief remote control car, made by
Playskool, Inc.
Nail Polish, Shell Gold, made by Sanrio Inc.
FOR INFO
Call the consumer Product Safety commission hot line at (800)
638-2772. The line is answered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and recorded
messages can be left any time.
by CNB