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Pretty, dangerous toys Mail Tribune / Jim Craven OSPIRG campus organizer Ali Fulcher shows some of the toys the organization considers unsafe during a press conference Tuesday announcing its annual "Trouble in Toyland" toy safety report. Unfortunately, OSPIRG says, some look good enough to taste By Sara Murphy ASHLAND � A little girl with curly blond locks had her eyes glued to the lunch-box miniature doll house, complete with snack-sized furniture. "Will somebody open this?" she asked. "Can we bring this home?" a boy in a striped shirt chimed in, clutching a box with a NASCAR pit crew the size of macaroni. Buying toys? Take a look at these tips Toy-related injuries sent about 152,600 people to emergency rooms last year, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. Here�s a list of toy safety tips to help keep your kids out of the ambulance: Be vigilant shoppers; examine toys and warning labels carefully. Look for parts that may break off and pose a choking hazard. Get a "no-choke testing tube" at a toy store or use a toilet paper tube. If a toy or toy part fits into the tube, it shouldn�t get into the hands of children under 3 or those who still put things in their mouths. Keep small parts away from toddlers, particularly if an older child has toys with small parts. Keep latex balloons away from children under 8. Small balls intended for children under 3 should be larger than 1.75 inches. Soft plastic toys, including teething toys, may pose a hazard unless marked as PVC- or phthalate-free. Phthalates are linked to liver and kidney problems and are probable human carcinogens. Strings, cords and necklaces can strangle infants. Remove beads, knobs and other attachments � which can tangle to form a loop � on cords that are longer than 12 inches. Be wary of purchasing toys on the Internet. Hazard labels are rarely available online. Wear proper safety gear, including a helmet, when using scooters, bikes and in-line skates. Purchase only nontoxic makeup and craft kits. If you see a toy or other product you think may be unsafe, report the product to the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772. To find out about the most recent recalls, visit the commission�s Web page at www.cpsc.gov For more safety tips, or information on the Trouble in Toyland report, find the study online at www.toysafety.net The toys, spread out across the knee-high table of the Ashland Family YMCA Child Development Center Tuesday morning, were all-too tempting to the tots who jiggled the boxes like it was already Christmas morning. But the tiny treasures aren�t safe for play, according to the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group. The nonprofit organization, in conjunction with its nationwide counterparts, released its 15th annual "Trouble in Toyland" toy safety report Tuesday � a timely reminder to parents about to head out on a Thanksgiving weekend shopping spree. The report doesn�t give a Top 10 list of hazardous toys, though 34 are listed on the OSPIRG Web site (www.toysafety.net). Instead, it highlights potential danger zones for the wary Santa, including choking hazards and toxic toys. "Consumers should remember that just because a toy appears on store shelves, or doesn�t appear on OSPIRG�s list, doesn�t mean that it is safe," said Ali Fulcher, campus organizer for the Portland-based group. Toy-related injuries were the cause of an estimated 152,600 emergency room visits in 1999, Fulcher said. Reading warning labels is the first step to protect children from unsuitable toys, but the labels can�t always be trusted and aren�t always available, she said. Federal regulations ban toys that possess a choking hazard because of small parts if they�re determined to have "play value" for children under age 3. But children as old as 6 also are at risk, said Sara Stearns-McWhorter, youth and family program director for the Ashland Y. She kept the tiny toys on the table in their boxes � and away from little mouths � during the media conference. Last year, 16 children died from playing with toys � nine from choking, according to the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission. "Developmentally, children learn through their senses," Stearns-McWhorter said. "Some children do put toys in their mouths up to the age of 6." She suggested parents use a cardboard toilet paper tube to test whether toys are large enough for young children. "If it fits through, you might want to think about whether it�s appropriate for your child," she said. Stearns-McWhorter said parents should consider the size of a toy�s broken parts as well. "Look to see how a child is going to play with a toy," she said. "Are they going to be able to pull its arms off? Are they going to pull its nose off and put it in their mouths?" Balloons are the No. 1 choking killer, accounting for 56 child deaths nationwide since 1990, Fulcher said. OSPIRG recommends avoiding balloons for children under 8. Toxic toys, Fulcher said, are a less obvious threat. Phthalates � which have been linked to liver and kidney damage and are probable human carcinogens � are often added to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic toys as a softener, according to the report. "It is outrageous that a scientist who buys a bottle of phthalate chemicals receives a full hazard warning, but a consumer buying a mouthing toy with phthalates often finds it labeled nontoxic," said Alex Yoder, a Southern Oregon University student who attended the conference. Parents should look for PVC on warning labels, Fulcher said. The report also reminds consumers to be wary of purchases on the Internet, where toy sales skyrocketed from $45 million in 1998 to $425 million in 1999. "The wave of the future is to buy clothing and toys online," Fulcher said. "Unfortunately, you can�t read warning labels online." Reach Ashland bureau reporter Sara Murphy at 482-4655, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.