Consumer Group Responds to CT Department of Consumer Protection Toy Recall

The problem of toxic chemicals was highlighted yet again yesterday when the CT Dept. of Consumer Protection stopped the sale of the asbestos-containing CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit across the state.

According to Phil Sherwood, Legislative Director for the CT Citizen Action Group (CCAG), the DCP's recent findings simply ad to the preponderance of evidence that toxic chemicals are being used routinely in the manufacturing of children's toys. “The recent finding by the CT Dept. of Consumer Protection is not an isolated incidence,” said Sherwood. "The bad news is that evidence shows that nearly 75% toys tested by healthytoys.org (a website launched by groups throughout the nation) have some toxic substances in them. The good news is that there are safer alternatives to these toxic chemicals and they’re already being used as much as 25% of the time."

The Group says safer alternatives are commonly used by some companies, and for more selective markets in California and Europe, and that Connecticut should move toward a proactive strategy for dealing with this problem. "There is no reason for why CT can’t take the lead in protecting children from toxic chemicals in toys that are known to be serious to the child’s health", stated Sherwood.

CCAG is a member of The Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Connecticut which is calling for comprehensive action at the state level to fill the gaps in state and federal law that are allowing toxic toys to be sold.

For parents and consumers, HealthyToys.org provides specific guidelines for how to petition state and federal government agencies and toy manufacturers to urge them to phase out toxic chemicals from toys immediately. HealthyToys.org ratings do not provide a measure of health risk or chemical exposure associated with any individual toy or children's product, or any individual element or related chemical. For a full list of toy test results, visit www.HealthyToys.org.

###