Lead in Toys
What is lead?
Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can cause serious health effects. Acute lead poisoning symptoms can include stomach pain, seizures, and death. Exposure to lead can also result in long-term health impacts, such as: learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, kidney damage, and high blood pressure. There is no safe level of lead exposure, meaning that even a small amount of lead can affect a person.
Human lead exposure in the US typically comes from ingesting the dust of chipping or peeling paint in pre-1978 homes, or from lead that has leached into drinking water via corroded pipes. Incidents of lead poisoning have decreased significantly in the last few decades. However, it is still important to prevent lead exposure whenever we can.
When lead is present in the paint or metallic parts of childrens’ toys, it poses a significant health risk. Children tend to put things in their mouths, whether it is food or not. Modern toys are restricted by law from containing more than a specific amount of lead. This means that our vintage and second-hand toys could still be exposing children to lead. As these toys have aged, they have likely cracked, chipped, or had peeling paint — meaning that the risk of ingesting tiny lead particles is even higher.
Check out this vintage toy car, bought from a thrift store, that contains over 7x the currently legally allowable amount of lead for children’s products. A child is very likely to either put this car directly into their mouths, or put their hands in or around their mouths after playing with it.
Newer toys are subject to much stricter requirements. Even so, dangerous levels of lead are occasionally discovered. In 2003, a 4-year-old Oregonian had severe symptoms of abdominal cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizure. The cause was from the child swallowing a small metal medallion from a necklace that contained dangerous amounts of lead. It was purchased from a vending machine just a few weeks prior. The child recovered after receiving medical treatment. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5323a5.htm]
How do I know if any toys in my home contain lead?
There are a few ways you can judge the risk of lead exposure from toys:
- Check if the toy has ever been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commision. This website also includes other non-toy items that have been recalled. [https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls]
- Is it older or vintage, especially before 1978? These are at risk of containing lead.
- Is it an older toy that is painted, or has small metal pieces attached? Is the paint chipped, peeling, or otherwise falling away? Lead is most often in metals and paint, so these items are at risk. Peeling paint adds extra risk, as it creates tiny particles that can be ingested, breathed in via dust, or land on the floor where children play.
- Is it a small metal or metallic item, like jewelry? Is your child at an age where they may put non-food items in their mouths? Items produced in mass quantities, like costume jewelry for children, are less likely to have been inspected and tested for harmful toxins. These can pose a lead risk, especially for items like necklaces that children often put in their mouths while wearing.
- It is made for children of a specific age? Many toys have a small disclaimer on the packaging that says “For ages 12 and up”. The current federal law limiting lead content only applies for toys intended to be used by children under age 14. However, the law only requires third-party testing of toys intended to be used by children under age 12. This means that toys labeled “For ages 12 and up” can contain higher amounts of lead — posing a higher risk for children who are younger and more likely to have toy-to-mouth or hand-to-mouth contact.
What if I discover I do have toys containing lead?
Throw away lead-containing toys! If you have a toy that you suspect may contain lead, or you have confirmed it contains lead, dispose of it in your regular household waste. Do not donate these toys or give them away to others,