subject: Lead Free Toys For A Brighter Future [print this page] With the holiday season already upon us, I find myself having to buy toys for my own children and a whole squad of nieces and nephews. Not only that, but many of the charities I work with also support some sort of gift-giving for children in need. With all of the liability, both personal and legal, that comes with gift-giving these days, it's really important to know what is appropriate and acceptable for toys these days.
First and foremost, you have to know your audience. Most of my gift-receiving audience this year is under ten years old, with quite a few of them being infants, so I have to make sure that the toys I get for them are age-appropriate. I'm not kidding about this; once, for my son's fifth birthday, a friend of mine got him one of those long-stemmed refillable butane lighters. It was pretty funny, but I guarantee it was one present that my son never got to play with. Age appropriate for me this year means, "Something that children can put in their mouths without it harming or killing them." So no small parts that are easily swallowed, no sharp or jagged edges, and most of all, the toy has to be lead-free.
Finding lead-free toys should be relatively easy, since it is now against the law for toy stores to sell them, but they are still out there. If a toy was produced overseas or prior to 2008, you'll want to check to see if it is on the Consumer Product Safety Commission's list of banned toys. Be especially careful when buying toys at thrift shops, as these toys may not have been properly cleaned and sanitized and could easily contain lead, either in their lead or in their parts. It's also a good idea to check with the retailer or the manufacturer to ensure that the toys you are buying are guaranteed to be lead-free.
In my opinion, there are no people more important than our children. We need to give them every opportunity that we can to be successful and happy. Lead in paint and in toys has been linked to poisoning and brain damage, which is definitely something that I don't want the children in my life to get from playing with their toys. So keep your eyes open for the toys that will be appropriate and give your children the best chance for their future. Have a safe and joyous holiday season!
