CHICAGO — A report focused on toy safety issues and product recalls is making its annual rounds during the holiday season.
Known as the ‘Trouble in Toyland Report,’ the list catalogs toy recalls and safety issues around the holidays when families are shopping for presents. This year, the list has 26 items so far that have been recalled, 11 of which are still readily available for purchase despite orders being issued not to.
“We purchased all these toys well after they were recalled,” said Abe Scarr of the Illinois PIRG Education Fund. “And we’re still able to find them on major on resellers like Facebook marketplace, eBay, and several toy resellers.”
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said that more stringent product safety laws have led to fewer toy recalls.
“You know, when I look at that table, years ago it was loaded with all kinds of toys and hazardous products for children, so we have definitely made progress,” Schakowsky said.
In 2008, the Trouble in Toyland report featured 172 toys overall, compared to just 26 in 2022.
Other professions specializing in children’s health caution beyond recalled products, highlighting the dangers of smaller products, like fake products, button batteries and digidot magnets.
“We have to be very careful though, knowing what’s in our homes,” said Dr. Elizabeth Powell, an emergency room physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
“A lot of times people realize they’re not buying the real thing but if you’re buying a handbag or shoes and realize there knock off, you’re not taking much of a safety risk,” said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids in Danger. “But if you take that [thought process] and transferred it to the toys that have to meet safety standards, then you’re really getting into an unsafe product.”
For the full Trouble in Toyland report, click here. For more information on how child safety is regulated when it comes to making toys, click here.