CHINESE TOYS: ARE THEY SAFE?

Consumers should start realising that there is a price to pay for safe and consistent quality products and stop encouraging cheap imports from far away uncontrollable countries.
The scare over lead-coated toys is the latest in a string of horror stories linked to China’s “low-cost” exports flooding markets in India and across the world. Every one of the 24 kinds of toys recalled for safety reasons in the US this year was made in China. Nor is it only about toys: there have been reports of tainted pet foods, toothpaste, medicines and foodstuff — all originating from China.
While the regulatory agencies in developed countries are sounding the alert on these lethal exports, in India there hasn’t been the faintest whisper of governmental action to protect consumers. Are Indian kids, a market overrun by cheap Chinese toy imports, being put at serious health risk from China-manufactured toys without adequate regulatory supervision?

Chinese toys are cheap and, therefore, popular, but given their low quality, they are unsafe for children. The paint and the material used on most Chinese toys are a health hazard. Consumers around the world are paying a high price for these ‘cheap’ Chinese goods. Chinese products are not safe. There’s no way that you can look at them and determine that they’re safe because they might contain toxins you are unaware. Besides China’s economy is growing much faster than its regulatory structure. For all practical purposes, it has no regulatory structure. And the few regulations it has often get co-opted by corrupt officials.
High levels of toxic lead turning up in cheap jewelry from China are prompting recalls in the U.S. But some of the lead used by these Chinese manufacturers comes from an unconventional source: computers and other electronic goods discarded in Western countries and dumped in China.

Some studies suggest lead from such sources is turning up in Chinese-made jewelry sold at U.S. discount stores and malls — closing a globalization loop in which toxic materials from high-tech garbage are turned into potentially dangerous goods for kids and shipped back.
Public-health have been fighting for years to keep lead out of children’s jewelry. Lead has even turned up in snaps on Chinese-made overalls and shirts for babies and toddlers and on gardening gloves for kids. Ingested, it can cause brain damage and death. The risk is highest for young children, who are more likely to mouth or swallow pieces of jewelry.
In China, lead alloy remains a favored material for costume-jewelry makers. It is plentiful and cheap, often selling for half the price of zinc alloy, the other metal mixture commonly used to make costume jewelry. Lead has a relatively low melting point, which makes it easier to work with, and lends heft to inexpensive jewelry.
The Chinese government sets limits on lead content in toys, but not in jewelry for children or adults. Many other countries also lack legal limits or fail to enforce them.
More and more consumers have begun to doubt the ‘made in China’ label as goods have come under fire since the discovery that a chemical additive in pet food caused the death of some pets in the United States and toxic ingredients were found in Chinese toothpaste and fish exports.

SAFE TOYS FOR CHILDREN

More children are seriously hurt or killed by accidental injuries than by anything else. And many childhood injuries can be prevented by parents who know how. You already care enough to do everything possible to protect your children. Protecting them from injuries is a very important way you can safeguard their health.

Toys are an important part of childhood, helping children learn and develop, as well as entertaining them. Unfortunately, some toys can be dangerous. Poorly constructed toys or toys that are inappropriate for your child’s age and level of development can lead to tragic results.

Safety Rules

When selecting toys for your child, keep these key safety rules in mind:

  • Read labels and packaging. Look for and follow the age recommendations and instructions about proper assembly, use and supervision.
  • Toys that have small parts, or small objects such as coins, batteries and nails should not be given to children under three years of age.
  • Jewellery should not be given to children under three years of age.
  • Choose sturdy and well made toys that can stand up to being bitten, tugged, sucked, jumped on and thrown around without falling apart.
  • Check for sharp edges or rough surfaces that could injure your child.
  • Ensure paint and fi llings are non-toxic.

Carefully selecting toys is not enough—supervising your child’s play and providing them with a safe area to play in can be the best ways to protect your child from harm. It is always best to explain and demonstrate to your child the correct and safe use of a toy when first giving it to them. You can improve the safety of the play area in your home by:

  • removing and immediately discarding packaging before living a toy to a small child.
  • ensuring older children’s toys are out of reach of younger children.
  • checking toys for breakage or potential hazards such as a loose part that could be a choking hazard.
  • never giving un-inflated balloons to small children and removing burst balloons from their play area as they can cause choking.
  • removing ‘dead’ batteries in toys, as they can leak poisons or liquid that can damage skin or eyes.

Making your own toys

Consider the appropriateness of the toy for your child’s age and developmental level. Make the toy safe for use by:

  1. Using non-toxic paints, glue and other finishes, and always washing fabrics to remove any toxic coating.
  2. Ensuring the materials used are not flammable—especially doll’s hair, clothing and accessories. It is also important that the toy is well made and sturdy enough to withstand playtime activity. Therefore:
  • seals should be strong so that the filling can’t escape.
  • all small pieces should be securely fastened to the toy so they cannot be easily pulled off and become a choking danger.
  • wooden toys should be sanded smooth with no sharp edges, and preferably made from soft wood that is unlikely to splinter.

Sources: Times online, Toxics links, EXT

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