November 21, 2007:  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a recall of select models of Boppy Slipcovers, which are imported by The Boppy Company of Golden, Colorado.   

The recall involves particular Boppy Slipcovers (see CPSC for specifics), including certain velvet and boa slipcovers. 

According to CPSC,  “The zipper pull on the slipcovers can break, posing a choking hazard to young children. In addition, paint on the zippers contains excess levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard.”

No injuries have been reported.

For more information, check out the CPSC news release. 

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Note:  If you own a Boppy Slipcover, keep in mind your slipcover may not necessarily be affected by this recall.  When I heard about the recall, I got a little jumpy when I saw a slipcover resembling mine on the CPSC site.  After checking the tag on my slipcover, I was relieved to learn it wasn’t recalled (the date code didn’t match the slipcover listed on the CPSC site).

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group has just released its 22nd Annual Toy Safety Report. 

Click here to see a summary of the 2007 Trouble in Toyland report.

Today, the Washington Post reports that ”the vast majority of toys are safe.”  This news couldn’t come at a better time for holiday shoppers.  For those who remain concerned about toy safety in light of recent recalls, the Washington Post suggests this option:  go shopping with a lead-test kit, choke-test cylinder, or sound meter in hand.   

A mom friend just asked me if I knew of a good place to buy “Made in USA” toys this holiday season. The best advice I could offer her was to look online.

After having ventured to two brick and mortar toy boutiques this past weekend looking specifically for American-made products, only to encounter disappointment, I’ve pretty much decided that online shopping is the only way to go–at least, if there’s any hope of efficiently crossing names off Santa’s shopping list.

I’m not the only one thinking that online retailers are the way to go this holiday season. Check out Regina Lewis’ recent blog entry on where to buy American-made toys. She suggests consumers kick off their shopping at:  How Americans Can Buy American  and Still Made in USA.com.

If your holiday shopping goal is simply to find manufacturers who seem attentive to toy safety, you may want to check out Melissa & Doug products.  Even though some of their products are (or have been) Made in China, Melissa & Doug appears attentive to consumer safety, at least according to the company’s Sept. 2007 email sent to concerned parents.  

Did you know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”), that agency that announces toy recalls, which we’ve been hearing from so much lately, employs ONE full-time toy tester.

Yes, you read that correctly. One. Uno. Full-time toy tester.

That figure has upset a lot of parents, including myself. This news has also ignited a flurry of activity within the blogosphere, as you can see at The Parents Bloggers Network.

Parents are speaking out about their concerns throughout the blogosphere, like Susan, a blogger at DC Metro Moms Blog and Toddler Planet, who writes, “I’m becoming increasingly concerned and frustrated about the safety of my children’s toys.” In another blog entry she writes, “What can we do to fix this?”

Recalls be gone. There is a five minute solution. One quick way to take action is by sending a letter to Congress.

As if that figure of ONE (let me repeat myself here, so we’re all clear …ONE) isn’t startling enough, The Washington Post further reports that CPSC has lost 15 percent of its workforce since 2004. Action is definitely needed right now, especially with the holidays just around the corner.

Sounds to me like that Illinois Senator who recently said, “Let’s face it, our consumer product safety system is busted and in need of major reform,” hit the nail on the head.

November 8, 2007:  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) has announced a recall of Aqua Dots Toys, a toy craft kit, distributed by Spin Master of Toronto, Canada, and manufactured in China.

According to CPSC: 

The coating on the beads that causes the beads to stick to each other when water is added contains a chemical that can turn toxic when many are ingested.  Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression, or have seizures.

Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled product immediately and contact the company for free replacement.

The recall affects about 4.2 million units.  At least two reports of children swallowing Aqua Dots and slipping into comatose states have been reported.

For more information, check out the CPSC news release. 

November. 8, 2007 - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) has announced a recall of Curious George 12-inch plush dolls with plastic faces, manufactured by Marvel Toys, of New York, NY, in China.

According to CPSC:  “Surface paint on the toy’s plastic face and construction hat contain excessive levels of lead which violates the federal lead paint standard.”

Consumers are advised to remove the toys from children and contact Marvel Toys for a refund.

The recall affects about 175,000 toys.

For more information, check out the CPSC news release.

A new recall and a new country to add the list of questionable toys. Mattel / Fisher-Price announced a recall today of 155,000 toys manufactured in Mexico over safety concerns. Click here for the full article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071106/hl_nm/mattel_recall_dc.

The focus of the recall is Fisher-Price’s Laugh and Learn 2-in-1 Learning Kitchen and was prompted over questionable lead levels.