Transcripts For CSPAN Toy Safety 20171122

Of the Consumer Federation of america. After my statement and their comments, we will open it up for questions from yall. Today we are here to release the u. S. Education funds toy safety report, trouble in toyland. The message today is clear. We need to protect our consumers consumers, from dangerous toys, and parents and consumers need to watch out for hazards when shopping for these toys. Over the past 30 years, the report has led to at least 150 recalls or other actions to take dangerous toys off shelves. This year, when researchers went looking for potential hazards, we once again found toys and products that could poison or harm a child. Products that coulr harm a child. We found these Toys International chains across the countries, from small stores to bigbox stores like target. Our report lists the over 30 toys recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Parents should compare this list to the toys they have in their homes to make sure they dont have recalled toys. With recalls for large products like cars, you have people that are actually people are notified by the manufacturer. That is not always the case with toy recalls. That is why we want people to check for them in their homes. In 2008, policymakers responded to an unprecedented wave of toy recalls by passing a law that revamped the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and gave it tools to better protect kids. This includes speeding up accessibleh publicly database called safer products. Gov. Banning heavy metals and other thalates in childrens products and toys, and requiring thirdparty testing of products and toys. Some of the products still out there do not adhere to these standards. There are standards that need to be strengthened in order to better protect our kids. There are six types of categories of toys that we want to caution parents and caregivers about. That is toxic toys, data collecting toys, choking hazards, magnets, toys and batteries that can overheat and catch fire, and overly excessively noisy toys. Some of the most dangerous toys out there for kids are invisible, because they contain toxic substances such as heavy metal lead, and chemicals known as families. Known as thalates. Paintas been banned in since 1978, and gasoline for nearly as long. Lead is a powerful neurotoxin that lowers iq and causes behavioral problems. Toys that we purchased at National Retailers and sente country, them off to and sent them off to a Certified Laboratory to see if they had lead in them. There is a legal limit of 100 parts per million for lead in products. Lab results show an excessive amount of lead in fidgets vendors. This Fidget Spinner that we got at target contains a whopping three 3000 parts per million of lead, which is 330 times the legal amount of lead allowed in childrens products. We found another Fidget Spinner that contains 1300 parts per million of lead, which also far exceeds the limit of lead in toys. We also got down target. , target announced they are moving these products from the tuition. A consumerthey cited Product Safety Commission rule that states that general use products directed to consumers 14 and up do not have to adhere to the legal limit for childrens products directed to kids 12 and under. As any parent or teacher will tell you, kids definitely spinnerswith fidget regardless of the label on the boxed. Targets website recommended this toy for kids age 6 and up. We commend target for taking these toys off their shelves and site, but it is time for the suppliers of these toys to actually issue an official recall. It is great that by taking him off the shelves, no new person would be exposed to these toxins, but we have to make sure to protect those that already have them in their homes. That is why we need a record. Need a recall. Also, in order to protect children in the future from toxics like this, the cpsc needs to loosen its arbitrary standards for age labeling. The Consumer Product Safety Commission now it is time for them to stand up for consumers. Lets talk about another toxic, a chemical that manufacturers make plastics harder. Thalates are linked to reproductive and developmental problems in children. In a victory for consumers. Forant to applaud the cpscs issuing a make rule that bans ay or childrens product with five parts per million of any five ph thalates. Them ban glad to see these other five. I would look to talk about a new category of toy making its debut for the first time in a record, and that is internet connected toys that pose a them privacy concern. This july, the fpi issued a stark warning to parents to consider Cyber Security before introducing these connected toys that are smart and interactive. The number of these products is growing daily. Websites, mobile apps, and products, including childrens watches and toys, can track users and collect information on children under the age of 13, who are currently protected by a law called the childrens online protection act. An example of one of these toys is this doll here called my kayla, which we purchased at walmart. Kayla is already banned in germany for privacy violations. Several consumer groups have filed an official complaint with the federal trade commission over privacy concerns. What these groups are alleging is that kayla can be accessed on a bluetooth connection without a password, which means she could be used as a headset, a speaker, or a mic. What this means is that a kayla to spyuse and talk to your kid. If that is not creepy, i dont know what is. Hello mike. That is in fact very creepy. Another problem with kayla is that she collects answers to questions that kayla asks her child, like names of pets. That goes to a website that could be used for pretty much any purpose. Consumer groups allege this is a violation of existing childrens privacy laws. Now i would like to turn to choking hazards, which are the leading cause of recalls. We know that toddlers put everything in their mouth. Tragically from 2001 to 2015, there have been at least 114 choking deaths or asphyxiations on toys by children. Banned if any part of the toy can fit into this choke test tube. Toys with small parts that are intended for children between the ages of 3 to 6 are required to have a choke hazard warning. Unfortunately, we found this wooden toy that dollar tree, which has parts in it that actually fit into the choke test tube. This is a choking hazard, and it does not have the appropriate label. Small balls are subject to a much more stringent test. Small balls that fit into this test cannot be sold to kids under three. Any ball that is marketed to kids over three has to come with a special small balls warning. There are two things we think needs to be improved. This small parts choked test needs to be made larger. Children joke on toys that are larger than this tube. We believe that toys that are not quite balls but still clearly around should be subject to the small ball test, especially toy food, because kids might think they are actual food and try to put it into th eir mouths. We tell parents and caregivers that there is a reliable test we have at home, and that is the standard sized toilet paper roll. If a part of a toy fits into this roll, it is not suitable for children under three. Now lets talk about balloons. Children can easily inhale balloons trying to blow them up, and they get stuck in the back of their throat. Balloons are the leading cause of choking deaths among children. All balloon packages must contain a label, a choking hazard under 8. We found five different types of balloons at party city, dollar city, and dollar tree which have labeling problems. This package of Party Balloons at dollars city plus since it is not suitable for kids under have thet it does not legally required have the legally required label saying it is a choking hazard for kids under 8. We are also concerned about highpowered magnets, which rachel will talk about in a little bit during her comments. Now lets talk about overheating batteries. Primeoards are still a example of this. Tragically earlier this year, there was a house fire that took the lives of two young girls and a firefighter. Cap is believed to have been caused by a hoverboard that was charging, overheated, and caught the house on fire. Just last month there was another house fire believed to have been caused by a house fire. Numerous hoverboards are being taken off the shelves by the c psc. We encourage parents to make sure any of the board has the ul227 certification sticker. The cpsc warns that sticker does not guarantee that the hoverboard will not overheat. Finally i would like to talk about excessively noisy toys. Cpsc has not recall a toy that is excessively noisy over the pastfinally i would like to talk about excessively noisy year, ba concern. Children have the most to lose from hearing loss. It messes with your ability to learn vocabulary, grammar, and other parts of verbal communication. One in seven children between the ages of six to 17 experience some kind of hearing loss that may be due in part to these large toys. We warn parents especially to be cautious of toy cell phones, because kids putone in seven tho their ear, and they are very fragile. T you can put tape over the speaker, or simply take the batteries out. Has madesion, the cpsc a lot of progress over the last decade protecting our kids. We Hope Congress will give it the resources that the commission needs in order to protect our kids. There are still hazards that need to be addressed. We believe the small parts choke test needs to be made larger. We believe the toxics policy in our country has to be overhauled. There are thousands of chemicals ort are not regulated, inadequately regulated. We also strongly urge the cpsc to Work Together with target and bullseye toys, the two suppliers of Fidget Spinner or inadequately regulated. With a large amount of lead this year, to issue an official recall. What can parents do . You can go to our website, toy safety tips. Org to get our report of the list of potential hazards, get the list of recalled toys. Pointed out on your smartphone pull it up on your smartphone this holiday season. You can go to saferproducts. Gov for any problems you are having with toys or other Consumer Products. These are examples of toys and hazards out there. You need to be aware of other concerns out there. Parents should heed the fbis warning about internet connected toys. Now i would like to introduce dr. Jarvis. Jarvis i any pediatrician here representing the American Academy of pediatrics, a nonprofit professional organization of 66,000 primary pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the pediatricians, and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and young adults. Unintentional injuries remain the number one cause of death in , and theages 1 to 19 fifth preventable cause of death for newborns under the age of one. , andalmost 9 million children annually are treated for injuries at a hospital emergency department. The ap strongly supports all efforts to reduce the incidence of child related injury and related morbidity and mortality. Pediatricians have long counseled parents about toy and product safety. Two of the hazards that concern us are lead and highstrength magnets. First, lead. Lead exposure can cause serious damage to childrens developing brains. There is no safe lead level exposer in children. With lasting decreases in cognition documented in children, and blood levels as lo w as five milligrams per deciliter, the cdc recommends intervention. However all elevated lead levels are a concern. Further, most children with elevated levels are asymptomatic. Children may complain about nonspecific symptoms, such as headache, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, or constipation. Highpowered magnets also give us great concern. These sets are composed of tiny highpowered magnet balls or cub s, often with 200 or more magnets to a set. When one or two magnets are swallowed, attractive forces allow them to find each other across different segments of the digestive system. For example, connections can occur between the stomach and small intestine, between the small intestine and colon, or across loops of bowels. To keep children safe, the American Academy of pediatrics has 10 tips to pick safe and appropriate toys for children. Label. One, read the warning labels give us Important Information about how to use the toy, and what ages between his safe for. Be sure to show your child how to use the toy the right way. Number two, think large. Make sure that all toy parts are larger than your childs mouth to prevent choking. Three, avoid choice that shoot objects into the air. They can cause serious eye injuries or choking. Number four, avoid toys that are allowed to prevent are loud to prevent damage to hearing. Five, make sure parts are they can cause serious eye injuries orwellmade. It should be machine washable. Take off any loose ribbons or strings to avoid strangulation, and avoid toys that have pellets or stuffing that could cause choking or suffocation if swallowed. Six, buy plastic toys that are starting. Thin plastic might break easily. Seven, avoid toys with toxic materials that could cause poisoning. Make sure the label says nontoxic. Number eight, avoid hobby kits childemistry sets for any younger than 12 years of age. They could cause fires were explosions. Nature older children know how to handle these kinds of toys. Ule, electric toys should be approved. Check the label to be sure. Ten, be careful buying crib toys, loose objects that could cause further entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation should be kept out of the crib. Mobile should be out of the babys reach, and must be removed when your baby pushes up on their hands and knees, or w hen they turned five months old, whichever occurs first. Thank you for hearing our tips to keep kids safe. Good morning. I am legislative director and general counsel with Consumer Federation of america. A Nonprofit Association of approximately 250 consumer haves that, since 1968, sought to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy and education. Is proud to stand in releasing this report, trouble in toyland. This years findings is proud tn releasing this highlight for the risks to children. We congratulate perd on the 32nd year of providing consumers with Important Information about how to avoid unsafe toys, and find the right toys for the children on their list. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement act gave new authority to the Product Safety Commission to protect children from unsafe products. Mandatory toy standards, lower lead limits, independent thirdparty testing, and increased inspections stop more dangerous toys than ever before from reaching shelves. Sia requires those purchasing toys online see the relevant safety warnings. Helping consumers select the right product for their children. Parents and all consumers should continue to carefully research and select the safest and most appropriate gift for their children or children on their list. Manufacturers should ensure that they comply with the law, continued cpsc enforcement, and Adequate Funding is necessary to further protect our nations children. Parents and others can make toys safer by reporting hazards to safer products. Gov. By looking at safer products. Gov before a product is purchased. Consumers should also check to own sure that products they or seek to purchase have been recalled. 28 toy were recalleds in fiscal year 2017. This number is up from 24 in 2 016, but down from 172 in fiscal the cpsia waswhen passed. More than 745,000 toys were o zed at u. S. Ports violatingo toy standards. Work with the u. S. Customs and Border Patrol prevented these toys from entering the u. S. It is critical that this work continue. Hidden hazards could be lurking in your o violatingo toy home. It is imperative that childrens products not contain lead, not ignite fires, and not cause Serious Health consequences from ingestion. This years report found popular Fidget Spinners contain very high levels of lead. This should not happen. There is no safe level of lead. These products have play avlue play value for children, and are used by children as toys. These should not pose risk to children as they play. Target did the right thing by stopping sale of these products. It is up to the manufacturer of these to recall these products so that those in consumers hands already be removed. Serious danger is posed by highpowered rare earth magnets. Here is an example of a magnet set. These products have play value for children and pose hidden parents dont anticipate. Parents dont anticipate. First, its hard to tell if any of these are missing, because they come in these sorts of sets. If more than one of thsese is swallowed, it can rip internal tissue, posing Serious Health risks. If more than one of thsethese ae again, and are now sale. Ble for we urge families not to purchase these products, and urge the cpsc to finalize a health protective rule. Cpsc is aware of over 250 hoverboard incidents related to fires or overheating. As mike mentioned, there have been recent tragic deaths of a twoyearold girl, a 10yearold girl in a fire, that firefighter in pennsylvania. In addition, cpsc sale. We urge families not to purchase these products, and has reportsf 13 birth injuries, 3 smoke inhalation injuries, and more than 4 million in Property Damage related to hoverboards. Issuedek the cpsc another seven recalls of these products because lithiumion battery packs pose a risk of catching fire or explosion. One of these recalls was after a from may 2017 second house fire, also in pennsylvania, destroyed one townhome, and damaged after we urge parents and consumers to make sure through from their home and get a refund for purchase in new hoverboards, if you choose to do so, make sure it has the mark of the new ul safety standard. We applaud u. S. On its work on tory safety. The American Academy of pediatrics and other the Consumer Product Safety Commission government retailers and manufacturers, to protect children from unsafe product and to ensure that children are safe on holidays and everyday, thank you. Thank you. We are happy to take any questions you all might have. Can you go over the doll again and what kind of information you are collecting . Is it like a facebook thing, do they market it . I do not know about the marketing right now, but the truth is that there is much we do not know about how this information is being collected, it could in theory be used for any purpose. Basically what is happening is that it is an interactive mark doll which will ask your child a number of questions such as your name, your pet . The information goes to a cloud, uploaded to a website and see actually there have been hackings of similar types of internet connected toys, clouds, earlier this year it happened. It is definitely a problem. Do you have any specific cases involving criminal activity with that toy . . With this, there is no confirmed case, but again, it has been banned in germany for privacy violations, and has so been the subject of an official complaint to the federal trade itsion, because it is could violate existing children harvesting protections that we have on the books in our own country. Questions . Do you have anything positive to say about the toy industry . It seems that there is a lot of gloom and doom here, you do not have a warehouse full of toys that are causing problems. So is there anything positive to say about the toy industry . One thing we can say, over the 30 years, because the Consumer Product they stick commission has been enforcing child safety laws, we are certainly in as safer position and we were 30 years ago. Regard in regards to the frigid spinners come out we come and the manufacturer as well as target for taking these off their shelves. But it is also important that they actually issued an official recall. Can answer that question as well . Also with the passage of the Consumer Product safety whatvement act of 2008, were voluntary choice tenders before are now mandatory and products on the market need to be tested to meet the standard, for they are sold. Which is what consumers that was happening before, but was not. So there are examples of things which fall through the cracks, unfortunately, but the fact that we have a much stronger system in place, means that you have unsafe toys getting into the market. Toys are getting into the market. Thannger is likely thicker intestinal tissue, but this is what occurs when a child follows more than one of these magnet. The magnets are so strong, that they have magnetic force through tissue, and this type of magnetic tower can rip tissue, ultimately causing areas health impact, infections and other things. What is so concerning about this, is that parents really do not at all expects the consequences of following war than one of these things. It is almost impossible for them to tell that two of the could be missing from the set. Heres something hold it, here is a problem . This is one of the products which similar to this, was first graded higher, so the argument was that at first that these are not toys, that they were general use product. But i remember in 2008 when my son was eight years old, he told me all of his friends had them. So it was a problem. The clearly had play value, they were used like toys, as toys i children, and it was a problem, a lag in safety where the innovation of these other became being available the market, exceeded safety standards. It has been a complicated legal process. The consumer Safety Commission issued a very effective standard that effectively banned these, made them larger so they couldnt be ingested and also required that the magnets not be that strong. Unfortunately, this role was struck down by the 10th circuit. Was struck down the 10th circuit and now it has been remanded back to the cpsc and we urge the cpsc to again we issued goreissue a public will that response to the 10th circuit to make sure that these products no longer again pose risk to children. Little boys love toys that should in. How do you prevent that . Iswell, the issue of course, one toys are shot at other people or could unintentionally be shot in the childs own eyes. Those are issues that continue to be of concern and projectile toys, in addition, could pose potential harms to children. A gift giverent or is considering purchasing a gift, they have to really consider in addition to the age of the child, also how the child would likely say with the toys. Reporter frigid spinners are , those sold anywhere else are those just target . X the frigid spinners the Fidget Spinners with the excessive levels of lead were, two including this one that we found at target. The other spinners we tested at other places did not exceed the limits for lead. The manufacturer, they were selling them but you are saying there are not selling them anymore . To be clear, target is not selling these on their website or at their stores, but i cannot eat to whether or not manufacturer is still making them were not. You spell their name real quick . Short, i i am mike litt. Am litt. 00 34 44 im Rachel Weintraub with Consumer Federation of america. [spelling name] dr. Lenore jarvis. With the American Academy of pediatrics. Reporter are there a lot of kayla, or are there any other toys that are new on the market that will be looking more like her the future . So kayla represents more of what we can expect to see in terms of internet connected toys on the marketplace. It has been on the market for about a year now . I would say at least a year. Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In your packets theres the i warning, if anybody didnt get a packet we can get you a packet. So theres not a lot of reporter so theres not a lot of competitors for kayla right now. There are not other dolls that have similar capacity at the moment . You know, i am actually not sure what other toys there might be like her. But again, there was actually an internet connected teddy bear that does year similar things, where it collects information and stores it in the cloud. And that got hacked earlier this so and earlier this year. Definitely a lot of privacy concerns in terms of being able to spy on and listen to your kids, but also just collected their information. Can that happen again . She talked earlier . Speaker [laughter] we can make it happen. She gets possessed on and off. [laughter] [inaudible] speaker yeah, we will give it a shot. [dialing phone] you have reached the United States [inaudible] staff directory, dial please hold a moment. I am talking to the doll again, can you hear me . Dozen that sound crazy . [laughter] yes. How about, im listening to you. [laughter] [indiscernible] i can hear all you are saying right now. It all comes through on the bluetooth connection. So kayla is watching and listening. Are it, thank you all. All right, thank you all. [laughter] [inaudible conversations] shirley when Congress Returns from its thanksgiving break on monday, the houseworks on the spending bill and raising the debt limit. They will also consider a 44 bm Disaster Relief bill. The Senate Debates the federal judicial nomination and the tax return bill with a vote on that bill expected later in week. Watch all of our Senate Coverage on cspan 2. The cspan bus is on the 50 capitals tour visiting every state capital. We kicked off the tour on september 15 in dover, delaware and now visited 12 state capitals. Our next stop is tallahassee, florida. Well be there with live interviews on washington jourge. Ormer Vice President joe biden sat down with john saysic. His runs an hour and a half. Vice President Biden thank you. John, welcome to my campus. John, because of the faculty here, they have been kind enough to give me a platform here to work with, in this case, the center for political communication and be part of their series, the National Agenda series