Most Toxic Toys
Before you put these under the tree, take a look at what's inside: lead, arsenic, mercury
By William Pentland, Forbes.com
One of every three toys tested in a study of 1,500 popular children's toys contained potentially harmful levels of lead, arsenic, mercury and other dangerous chemicals, according to findings released earlier this month by the Ecology Center, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based consumer safety organization.
On Feb. 10, 2009, a new federal law — the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act — will set new limits on the amount of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead and other potentially unsafe chemicals allowed in children's products. The new legal limit for cadmium in children's products will be 75 parts per million, arsenic will be 25 ppm, mercury will be 60 ppm and lead will be 600 ppm. Based on these limits and related safety standards limiting bromine levels to 1000 ppm, the Ecology Center generated its list of the year's "worst toys," which includes, but doesn't rank, the toys with highest levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury or bromide. Here are a few of the year's worst toys in each category.
Hannah Montana's "2 Hearts and HM graphic Necklace"
Manufacturer: Disney (F&A Inc.)
Lead PPM: 406,510
Just My Style "It's So Charming" Jewelry Charm Bracelets
Manufacturer: Just My Style Jewelry
Lead PPM: 9,254
High School Musical Crown Necklace
Manufacturer: Disney (F.A.F., Inc.)
Lead PPM: 7,963
Road Racers With Play Mat
Manufacturer: Wholesale Merchandisers, Inc.
Bromine PPM: 30,831
Totally Me! Dressy Rainbow Jewelry
Manufacturer: Geoffrey, Inc
Cadmium PPM: 3,269
Arsenic PPM: 1,202
Eight Mini Twist-Up Crayons
Manufacturer: Alex Panline USA, Inc.
Mercury PPM: 783
Bath Letters & Numbers
Manufacturer: The Little Tikes Co.
Mercury PPM: 463
12 Colored Chalks
Manufacturer: Alex Panline USA, Inc.
Mercury PPM: 423
Ball Track, Large Basic Set
Manufacturer: Habermaass Corp., Inc.
Cadmium PPM: 981
Lift-it Luke
Manufacturer: Ravensburger F.X. Schmid USA Inc.
Bromine PPM: 22,634
Best Friends Band
Manufacturer: Alex Panline USA, Inc.
Arsenic PPM: 630
Lightning McQueen Racing Chair
Manufacturer: Disney (Marshmallow)
Bromine PPM: 25,562
Bracelets Collection Manufacturer: The Christmas Tree Shop
Lead PPM: 81,085
Halloween Pumpkin Pin
Manufacturer: The Christmas Tree Shop
Arsenic PPM: 4,765
Cadmium PPM: 3,847
Lead PPM: 190,943
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Most Toxic Toys
