Special Report: How to Avoid Toxic Toys and Keep Your Kids Safe

by Darla Hernandez (darlah@wsbt.com)

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(WSBT photo)

By Tiffany Griffin

Story Created: Nov 12, 2007 at 12:39 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 22, 2007 at 1:51 PM EST

(WSBT) You see the headlines virtually every night — a new toy, a new recall.

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With hundreds of toys being yanked from store shelves, in recent months more than ever before, questions of what's safe for shoppers seems to be on the mind of many.

You may not be ready but Black Friday — the biggest shopping day of the year — is just days away.

With tons of toxic toys being pulled from store shelves buyers like Paige Fessenden, who has two sons, say it's taken a toll.

"It just really scares me," Fessenden told WSBT News. "So as a consumer I've been very wary, and I really see where it's made."

With this year's toy recall being the biggest in U.S. history, online shopping can be a tough task.

WSBT News scanned the recall notices and then went to eBay where we found a recalled toy up for bids.

That's why Web sites like www.notinmycart.org are popping up. They have recent recalls posted and info on how you can take action to keep kids safe.

It's a startling statistic — about 80 percent of toys are being made in China. But a new survey on www.etoys.com isn't stopping customers from buying; in fact many say they will not be deterred from buying this holiday season.

Chuck Harper, who owns Explorations Toys in Granger, says business is steady but buyers are looking to steer clear of toys made in China.

"Playmobil is a German company, Haba also is a German company, and what we find is the European standards are actually quite a bit higher than the American ones," explained Harper.

"So I'm really trying to do wooden toys and then see where they're made," Fessenden said.

Those brands are a bit more expensive.

"It's a case of you get what you pay for," said Harper.

Another option is "Plan" toys, which are made in Thailand, and the paint is essentially food coloring.

"They actually use a water-based stain instead of paint," Harper said. "The stain is both non-toxic and it's absorbed into the wood, so again there's no potential problem."

Parents want to give their children the best care possible, especially when it comes to play time and that's why Fessenden is so worried.

“It's scary! I just think, my 1-and-a-half-year-old son puts everything in his mouth,” said Fessenden.

If you plan on doing your toy shopping online, retailers like www.etoys.com and www.toysrus.com will automatically email you recall notices.

To avoid being “mislead” click on the list of resources in the Related Content box.

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