Parents, Beware: Some Recalled Toys Still On the Market

BAY AREA, CA – Parents should be wary this holiday season of recalled toys that may still be available for purchase online or still be in their homes, according to the California Public Interest Research Group's 31st annual Trouble in Toyland report.

The report was released Wednesday at UCSF's Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland and lists toys recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission between January 2015 and October 2016.

"Since January 2015, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with manufacturers and distributors, has announced more than 40 recalls of toys and children’s products totaling more than 35 million units," CALPIRG said. "We found that over a dozen recalled toys may be available for sale."

The 2014 MBX 50 bicycle by Marin Bikes was recalled in Feb. 2015 because the handlebars can separate and come loose, but the bike appears to be available for purchase online, researchers said. The Marin Bikes website says the MBX 50 may not be available.

Toys have been recalled for other reasons too, for example, because they are made with lead, have small parts that can be choking hazards or get swallowed and cause health problems.

Even small amounts of lead in a child's blood can affect IQ, the ability to pay attention and academic achievement, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A specific example is a pencil case with magnets in its lid that can come out, be swallowed and link together in a child's stomach where they can cause internal injuries, researchers said.

Some children may need surgery to have toy parts removed, according to a UCSF doctor.

"We see children with injuries from toys with small parts or materials that can be hazardous when ingested," Dr. Kevan McCarten-Gibbs, director of emergency medicine at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland,
said in a statement.

Other recalled toys that researchers found were still available for sale at online stores include:

• A toy glockenspiel which was recalled in February 2016 due to high levels of lead in the paint. If the paint is scraped off and ingested lead can cause adverse health effects.
• A remote-controlled flying toy which was recalled in June 2016. The toy’s USB charging cord can overheat, posing a hazard.

Parents can protect their children from the dangers of recalled toys.

The researchers suggest subscribing to email updates from the CPSC and other government safety agencies and examining toys carefully for hazards before purchasing them and refusing to trust that the toy is safe just because it's in the store.

Also, parents can protect their children by putting small or broken parts out of reach.

SEE FULL REPORT HERE.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Morguefile image