Archive for December, 2009

Recently, consumers held their breath as the environmental health group GoodGuide announced that the extremely popular Zhu-Zhu toys were found to have high levels of tin and antimony in the toys.  Los Angeles personal inujry lawyers have been concerned about the safety of toys this holiday season, and this was an alarming announcement.  Retailers are having a tough time keeping up with the demand for Zhu-Zhu pets, which are robotic hamsters that are in huge demand.

GoodGuide conducted its own investigation to test the popular toy for toxins using a handheld X-ray fluorescent gun, which is unable to measure the amount of antimony accurately.  Antimony is often combined with other metals and can be used in pipe metal, batteries and animation.  It can be risky to health when concentration of more than 60 parts per million are found.  This announcement reminded California product liability lawyers as well as consumers of 2007, when an unusually high amount of children’s toys were found to have high lead content and were recalled.

Many people have already purchased the Zhu-Zhu toys as Christmas gifts, which lead the CPSC to quickly determine the safety of the popular toys.  They confirmed that the Zhu-Zhu does remain in compliance with the metal limits set by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, although they have not conducted their own tests on the toy as of yet.  Consumers are relieved, to say the least.

The testing standards used by GoodGuide and the CPSC are not the same, and GoodGuide may face scrutiny by the makers of Zhu-Zhu toys, Sepia.  GoodGuides warning is appreciated by California product liability lawyers, who know that the times we live in require an added level of caution.  Toy safety concerns have become a delicate issue, and federal regulators have been slammed because of their inability to clamp down on toys that are unsafe in time.  GoodGuide’s announcement concerning the findings of its own testing have caused the CPSC to delve deeper into the matter, and consumers to become more aware of the dangers toys can pose.

Parents should research the safety of toys they are considering purchasing by visiting the CPSC website to learn about recalled toys.  This site is updated frequently so that parents are aware of potentially dangerous toys and can avoid purchasing them for their children.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of product liability.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.

Growing concern about the safety hazards of some toys have California product liability lawyers and parents all over the nation increasing their awareness about toy safety.  This all really began in 2007, when millions of toys were found to have a high lead content and other safety hazards, and were pulled off the shelves.

It’s Thanksgiving now, which means millions of moms, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles have begun their quest for the perfect toy for the little ones.  However, recently there has been much media attention focused on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, and so many headlines about toy safety that it is downright confusing.  How does anyone know what toys are safe to give children as gifts?  Cnet News has a list of resources available that will make shopping for safe toys a little easier.

The most recent recalls issued by toy manufacturers and other children’s products are listed on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website which is updated on a regular basis.  This site shares specific, precise information about any danger risks with toys, such as small parts that cause choking hazards, lead content, and suffocation hazards, as well as other dangers related to toys.  The details about each individual toy is specific, and accompanied by a color picture so that parents can be certain if a product they are considering buying has been subject to recall.

Also on this site is information on specific time periods when recalled toys were sold, along with the names of the retailers who sold them.  It is hard to make a choice in children’s products or toys that is unsafe when you have a thorough, in-depth list of information at your fingertips.

Another great site is GoodGuide.com.  This site rates products from green (safe) to red (high level of toxins).  You can purchase personal care items, food, toys and household cleaners that are environmentally safe.  The toy section is especially helpful for parents, and lists information about chemicals and the level of lead that may be in certain toys.  There are also product reviews available, so that you can read others opinions before you buy.

GreenToys.com offers toys that have no toxin content and are safe for children and environmentally friendly.  For those who prefer no toxins or lead content when shopping for their children, GreenToys.com is a good solution, and some toys offered have been given awards from magazines and parenting groups.

HealthyStuff.org allows you to test products.  Whatever toy you consider buying, this site issues a health rating so that you know what chemicals the toy contains, and exactly where on that toy the chemical is located.  MomsRising.org is another helpful site that gives free information on the toxins a toy contains.  Just contact them with the name of the toy, and they will send the information back to you.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing clients as California wrongful death attorneys, including victims of product liability.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.