Are Innocent Toys Just Getting a Bad Rap?

With box-office hit sequel “Toy Story 2” further focusing everyone’s seasonal buzz on children’s playthings, what better than a roiling toy controversy to spice up the holidays? Following coverage of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, Pamela Johnston, spokeswoman for the Toy Manufacturers of America, called to take issue with the report’s conclusions.

Representing more than 250 toy makers that account for 85% of industry sales, the New York-based Toy Manufacturers generally isn’t enamored with what it calls the “annual ritual” of “pre-holiday toy-bashing news conferences” by “self-appointed watchdogs.” Johnston disputes some specific points as well.

She labels as “misinformation” the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s statistics on toy-related deaths and injuries in the report. “It is important to differentiate between a toy-caused and toy-related accident,” she says.

“A toy-related accident means the accident involved a toy. If an adult trips on a toy left on a step and gets hurt, it’s a toy-related injury. But that has nothing to do with the toy itself. The toy didn’t cause that injury. Toy-caused accident are far, far fewer.”

How many fewer? Of the 14 toy-related deaths reported for 1998, 10 were toy-caused deaths, says Johnston, explaining that in four of those fatalities, the toy was not at fault.

Toy Manufacturers of America also protests that the Research Group’s toy-hazard list included several items made of soft PVC containing toxic phthalates--a chemical linked to liver and kidney damage in laboratory test animals. Johnston says PVC-made toys have a long and unblemished record of safe use and there’s no scientific evidence small amounts of phthalates are toxic or can damage the health of humans.

And what about the European Union Commission’s proposed ban on infant and toddler toys made of PVC? “Shortsighted, politically motivated and scientifically unjustified,” according to the toy manufacturers.

In late October, the group launched a Toy Safety Hotline and Web site ([877] 486-9723 and https://www.toy-tma.org) where consumers can ask safety questions, get tips on safe play and receive contact information on toy manufacturers.