toy safety

5 Stories

New EU Rule: Kids Can't Blow Up Balloons

One sociologist calls it hot air

(Newser) - Blowing up balloons is now a bust for kids in the European Union. The popular activity is too dangerous for children under the age of 8 to do unsupervised because they may swallow and choke on the balloons, according to a new toy safety directive for the entire eurozone. Also...

Zhu Zhu Pet Maker: Get Off Mr. Squiggles!
Zhu Zhu Pet Maker: Get Off Mr. Squiggles!
damage control

Zhu Zhu Pet Maker: Get Off Mr. Squiggles!

Watchdog site used cheap equipment to back chemical claim

(Newser) - The maker of Zhu Zhu Pets is aggressively defending one of its toy hamsters against claims by a watchdog group that Mr. Squiggles contains unsafe levels of a dangerous chemical. Tests by an independent lab show the toy does not contain dangerous levels of antimony, as claimed by the GoodGuide...

Congress Moves to Ban Toxin Found in Toys

Bush could yet veto bill including measure to keep phthalates away from children

(Newser) - Congressional negotiators have agreed to ban a group of toxins common in children’s toys, part of a consumer-protection bill, the Washington Post reports. The ban mirrors tougher standards at big retailers like Wal-Mart and Toys R Us, and, like those bans, wouldn’t take effect until after the holiday...

Wal-Mart Tightens Toy Safety Standards

Retailer goes beyond government requirements

(Newser) - Wal-Mart is adopting stricter toy safety standards, going above and beyond existing government requirements, the Wall Street Journal reports. The standards set hard lead limits, and encourage “traceability information,” to show where toys are from. Complying could boost toymakers’ costs by 5%-7%, but since Wal-Mart is the world’...

Senate Backs Product Safety Crackdown

Sweeping changes in consumer laws

(Newser) - The Senate has passed a tough new product safety measure covering toys, household appliances and thousands of other products. It would ban lead in toys, increase civil penalties for hazardous products tenfold, enable more state regulation and create a database of dangerous items on the market. It also sets up...

5 Stories