Consumer Protection Reports

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Executive Summary

In   2008,   Congress   responded   to   an   unprecedented   wave   of   recalls   of   toys   and   other   children’s   products   by   passing   the   first   major   overhaul   of   the   Consumer   Product   Safety   Commission   since   it   was   established   during   the   Nixon   Administration.     By   passing   the   landmark   Consumer   Product   Safety   Improvement   Act   (CPSIA)   in   August   2008,1     Congress   not   only   expanded   the   agency’s   budget,   it   also   gave   the   CPSC   more   tools   to   hold   corporate   wrongdoers   accountable  and  speed  recalls,  moved  toward   banning   toxic   lead   and   phthalates   except   in   trace   amounts,   and   greatly   improved   import   surveillance.     The   recall   of   45   million   toys   and   other   children’s   products   in   2007   and   continued   recalls   in   2008   reminded   Americans   that   no   government   agency   tests   toys   before   they   are   put  on  the  shelves.       Specifically,   the   wave   of   recalls   focused   attention   on   the   fact   that   the   agency   charged   with   protecting   Americans   from   unsafe   products—the   Consumer   Product   Safety   Commission—is  a  little  agency  with  a  very  big   job  to  do.         The   CPSIA   strengthened   the   CPSC   and   established   tough   new   protections   against   toxic   chemicals   like   lead   and   phthalates.     New   and   expanded   leadership   at   the   CPSC   has   begun   to   put   these   protections   into   effect.       But   there   is   no   magic   wand   to   rehabilitate   the   tattered   product   safety   net.     Considering   the  15,000  products  under  its  regulation,  the   CPSC  remains  a  very  small  agency  with  a  very   big  job  to  do.    Tough  new  bans  on  lead  and phthalates   are   a   good   step   in   the   right   direction,   but   there   are   tens   of   thousands   of   toxic   chemicals   in   our   children’s   lives.     We   continue   to   learn   more   about   the   relationship   of   toxic   chemicals   to   chronic   diseases.     More   must   be   done   to   protect   our   families  from  toxic  chemicals.     The   2009   Trouble   in   Toyland   report   is   the   24th   annual   Public   Interest   Research   Group   (PIRG)   survey   of   toy   safety.     This   report   provides   safety   guidelines   for   parents   when   purchasing   toys   for   small   children   and   provides   examples   of   toys   currently   on   store   shelves   that   may   pose   potential   safety   hazards.       In   researching   the   report,   we   visited   numerous  national  chain  toy  stores  and  other   retailers   in   September   and   October   2009   to   identify   potentially   dangerous   toys.   We   analyzed   CPSC   notices   of   recalls   and   other   regulatory   actions   to   identify   trends   in   toy   safety.     This   year,   we   focused   on   three   categories   of   toy   hazards:   toys   that   may   pose   choking   hazards,   toys   that   are   excessively   loud,   and   toys   that   contain   the   toxic   chemicals  lead  and  phthalates.