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Parents Wonder If Toys 'R' Safe?

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By TIM WALSH

Published: September 2, 2007

In 1974, I wanted to be Evel Knievel. That meant that when I wasn't throwing a Wiffle Ball, walking a Slinky down the stairs or hooking plastic primates together in my Barrel of Monkeys game. I loved the thrill of playing with dangerous toys. If you grew up in the 1970s or earlier, you probably wonder how you survived your childhood too.

I made my own rubber bugs from molten goo off the 300-degree hotplate of my Creepy Crawlers Thingmaker. I had Klackers, those hard, plastic balls designed to 'klack' together on a string - until they shattered, spraying shards of bright-colored plastic in my face. I loved Lawn Darts, which were nothing less than weighted spikes that, after being tossed high in the air, thunked down into a lawn, a foot or anything else in their path. Come over to play in my boyhood backyard and you could be burned, blinded or impaled.

Thank God that times, and toys, have changed.

According to the Toy Industry Association, a trade organization for U.S. toy producers and importers, 'all toys sold in America must conform to U.S. safety standards - the most extensive, effective, and widely emulated standards in the world - regardless of where they are manufactured.' I am a member of the TIA and have spent the past 17 years in the American toy industry. The recent recalls of over 19 million Chinese-made toys by toy giant Mattel due to impermissible levels of lead and magnets that may become loose, have hit very close to home.

Last month I was asked by the host of a national radio show why so many defective toys are coming out of China. I replied that approximately 80 percent of all toys sold in the United States are made there and so defective ones are most likely to come from there as well. It wasn't until after the interview that I realized that tainted toothpaste, contaminated pet food and defective car tires have all recently come from China too. They have the fastest-growing economy in the world, and as such, must be even more vigilant to guarantee the safety of all their exports.

But the real burden must fall on American toy manufacturers to correct problems with their foreign suppliers. Lead paint is much cheaper than lead-free paint, easier to apply and quicker to dry. It was a financial decision to use it. Therefore, we must put stiff financial penalties in our manufacturing agreements with Chinese factories to prevent the kind of deceitful decision that resulted in the lead paint recalls. U.S. toymakers ship roughly 3 billion toys a year, so 19 million (.006) is a very small percentage, thankfully. But percentages mean nothing if it's your child who needs emergency surgery after ingesting magnets or suffers from lead poisoning due to a tainted paint job on his favorite toy truck.

The buck must stop with brand on the box.

I do not think the suggested legislation introduced recently by Rep. Mike Ferguson of New Jersey, which would require children's toys to be certified by an independent third party, is a good answer. To get federal regulators involved is a knee-jerk reaction, especially in light of the fact that there have been no reports of anyone being hurt by any of the toys recalled by Mattel.

Mattel has handled these recalls well. Along with Hasbro, they are the most prominent face of our industry. They acted quickly and aggressively, drawing comparisons to Johnson & Johnson's response to the Tylenol tampering of 1982. Mattel strengthened their already rigid manufacturing processes with a 'three-point check system,' increased 'unannounced random inspections' of their suppliers and announced that they would give consumers who return recalled products 'a voucher for a replacement toy of the consumer's choice...' They also informed their investors that this voluntary recall will cost them approximately $30 million. Some on Wall Street believe it will cost them more than that.

The toy industry can't erase all fears over these recalls. We must move forward by continuing to find ways to improve testing and inspection, pledging that America will continue to be a leader among countries producing the safest toys. To that end, I am also proud to be apart of an industry that polices itself. The Toy Industry Association developed a voluntary standard for toy safety in 1976 and in conjunction with the Consumer Products Safety Commission, established countless measures over the years to ensure that our kids play with safe toys. These were the kinds of regulations that resulted in the banning of Lawn Darts in 1988.

These recent toy recalls are a reminder to parents and caregivers to be diligent in selecting playthings for their children, particularly if their kids have access to an older sibling's toys, which may not be age-appropriate.

For many parents I've talked to, diligence means looking for toys made in America. I strongly encourage consumers to look for and support companies that make quality toys in our country. Some of our favorite toys, like the aforementioned Wiffle balls (Shelton, Conn.), Slinky spring toys (Hollidaysburg, Penn.), and the Barrel of Monkeys game (East Longmeadow, Mass.) are among those classic toys still made in the U.S.A.

Let us strive to assure that both the future of toys and toys themselves, are in safe hands.

Tim Walsh of Sarasota is the author of 'Timeless Toys, 'a creative consultant on a soon-to-be-released documentary film on toy inventors and the co-inventor of the games TriBond and Blurt!

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