Toy Safety this Holiday Season

Today, I joined the Connecticut Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG) at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center to discuss ConnPIRG’s release of its annual toy safety report: Trouble in Toyland. The report outlines test results on toys presenting serious choking hazards or containing hazardous chemicals such as lead and phthalates. According to ConnPIRG’s report, many toys with harmful levels of phthalates and lead­–as much as 70 times the legal limit–are still on stores’ shelves. Despite progress being made, we must continue to push for safer uses of chemicals in our children’s toys and other consumer products. I’m a proud cosponsor of the Safe Chemicals Act, which would empower the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collect and make public information on the chemicals used in our everyday products, and to ban hazardous chemicals when necessary.

As the holiday season begins, it is important that Connecticut residents have the tools to protect their families from unsafe products. The Consumer Product Safety Commission maintains a database of hazardous products and materials based on information provided by consumers. I encourage Connecticut consumers to stay vigilant this holiday season by reviewing information provided by other consumers and submitting their own reports if they experience problems with products. I have fought for, and will continue to fight for, safer and more transparent use of chemicals in every day products and our children’s toys.