About Lead in Toys

Uses of Lead in Toy Manufacturing

• The two most common ways in which manufacturers use lead in making toys is in the painting of toys with lead-based paints and for softening plastic to make it more malleable. When lead is used to soften plastic in toys, it makes the plastic degrade to lead dust on overexposure to heat, which is toxic for anyone who comes in contact with it.

Regulations on Lead in Toys

• Regulation of lead in residential properties came in place under The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 in Title X section 1018, which stipulates that for houses built before 1978 (since these properties posed the greatest lead hazards), renters or buyers must be notified by owners about any known lead presence in the property either in paint or elsewhere. Renters and buyers must also be presented with information on how to protect themselves from the dangers of lead in such property. However, it was not until 1998 that the American government issued regulations restricting the amount of lead in toys to 600 parts per million. If a toy is found to have higher quantities of lead, it is withdrawn from the marketplace. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has worked with China's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) to improve quality standards and to ensure that toys exported from China meet U.S. regulation standards.

Health Risks of Toys Containing Lead

• Lead is a poisonous element which has major health problems associated with it. If a child is exposed to even a small amount of lead from lead toys, it can hamper her growth and also may slow down brain development. Research conducted at Johns Hopkin's Bloomberg School of Public Health has proved that both kids and adults can have ill effects on their brain if exposed to lead. Exposure to lead can lead to other problems like irritability, insomnia, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue or pain in joints. In children, it can cause liver and kidney damage, hyperactivity and anemia as well.

Variation of Risks in Children

• Lead toys are a great health hazard, but the risk varies from child to child. If it is a small child with developing teeth, who likes to chew his toys, the threat is high. Children below the age of 3 are especially vulnerable to brain damage through toys containing lead. But if it is a child who does not put his toys into his mouth at all, the risk is reduced.

Detecting Lead in Toys

• Oxford Instruments has produced a portable instrument named X-MET3000TXR+, which is an X-ray fluorescence analyzer. It can screen any toy and find out if any quantity of lead is present in it. Oxford Instruments also has some other hand-held lead detectors like X-MET 5000 and X-MET5001 available in the market. Refer to the Resource section below for a list of some popular toys that have been recalled by the U.S. government due to the presence of lead in them.