Despite the enactment of consumer product safety laws and regulations, many toys with harmful chemicals and metals, such as asbestos, lead, and cadmium, can still be found on store shelves in the U.S. This month many toys will be purchased for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. It is important that manufacturers, importers, and retailers improve systems of communication and production to ensure compliance at each step in the supply chain, and regulators need more capacity for enforcement. For now, education and empowerment is key. Consumers need to be aware of risks and to learn how to screen toys for safety before making purchases.
CEHN is partnering with the U.S. PIRG Education Fund to raise awareness about harmful chemicals found in some toys and share how consumers can avoid harmful toys and products. Click on their logo to learn about this issue and the steps you can take to avoid harmful products. 
Click here to help us continue to bring together and highlight the critical work being done to protect children's health, galvanize support, and motivate society to take action.
What PIRG recommends parents and caregivers do to protect children from potential hazards:
1) Subscribe to email recall updates from the CPSC and other U.S. government safety agencies available at www.recalls.gov
2) Shop with U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s Toy Safety Tips, available at www.toysafetytips.org
3) Examine toys carefully for hazards before purchase – and don’t trust that they are safe just because they are on a store shelf. Check the CPSC recall database at CPSC.gov before buying toys online.
4) Report unsafe toys or toy-related injuries to the CPSC at Saferproducts.gov
5) Check crayons for an “AP-certified non toxic” label
6) Review the recalled toys list in this report and compare it to toys in your child’s possession.