• Posted on Friday, December 16, 2011
  • Bookmark and Share
  • email
  • |
  • print
  • |
  • rss

tool name

close
tool goes here

Feds warn against dangerous toys

email this story print this story jump to comments

In a scene that looked a lot like Christmas morning, a table stacked with toys sat in a room — never to be played with.

There was a doll on a bicycle, a set of ping-pong paddles and a huge inflated plastic ball.

The problem? All of those toys are either choking hazards, suffocation dangers or have traces of lead.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection displayed the toys Thursday at its Miami headquarters to warn the public about the dangers they pose this holiday season.

“We want the consumers to be able to make an educated decision,” said Veron Foret, U.S. Customs and Border Protection field director.

He said most of the toys were seized entering the country, and they represent a lack of knowledge about American standards rather than smuggling.

He singled out Kinder Eggs, chocolate eggs with toys inside, as a choking hazard. It has little plastic parts that could get stuck in children’s throats. They are banned from being imported into the United States.

A large plastic ball, called a “walking ball,” presents a hazard because it has potential risks of suffocation and drowning, he said.

Such balls are frequently seen at amusement parks, carnivals and malls, but because this one is sealed and has no emergency exit, it significantly heightens the risk of injury or death, especially if the person inside is in distress.

Most of the lead-containing products, which included Hannah Montana backpacks and Dora the Explorer lunchboxes, were imported from China and Peru, Foret said — countries whose lead regulations are more lax than those in this country.

So what can parents do to ensure they don’t accidentally buy a gift that could harm their kids?

Purchase toys from “a reputable store and a reputable brand within that store,” Foret said.

“Don’t buy a dollar store toy,” he said.

To read the complete article, visit www.miamiherald.com.

  • Bookmark and Share
  • email
  • |
  • print
  • |
  • rss

tool name

close
tool goes here
JOIN THE DISCUSSION

We welcome comments. To post one, you must sign in using either your McClatchyDC login or your login for Facebook, Twitter or Disqus. Just click the appropriate box below.

Please keep your comment civil, short and to the point. Obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. If you find a comment abusive or inappropriate, please flag it for the moderator by placing your cursor on the comment, then clicking the "flag" link that appears. Thanks for your participation.

Stay Connected

Sign up for email newsletters RSS
Follow us on your iPhone Follow us on your Android device
Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us using Google Currents

POLITICS & GOVERNMENT BLOG

Planet Washington

"Planet Washington" is a group blog by journalists in McClatchy's Washington Bureau. Send a story suggestion.

LEGAL AFFAIRS BLOG

Suits & Sentences

"Suits & Sentences" is written by Mike Doyle, who covers the Supreme Court for McClatchy's Washington Bureau. Send a story suggestion.