Congressman Rodriguez Urges Consumers to Shop for Safer Toys

Toy Safety Alert—(L to R) Gina Meagher, TexPIRG spokeswoman; Congressman Ciro Rodriguez; Dr. Ben Elizondo, Pediatric Digestive Care; and Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzman, PAC president, pose for a photo before the start of a media conference unveiling the Annual Toy Safety Report issued by the Texas Public Interest Research Group.

SAN ANTONIO-With the holiday season in full swing, U.S. Representative Ciro Rodriguez and the Texas Public Interest Research Group (TexPIRG) held a joint media conference at Palo Alto College to remind San Antonians to be on the lookout for recalled and other potentially dangerous toys that could harm unsuspecting children.

According to TexPIRG spokeswoman Gina Meagher, hazardous toys are still being sold across the country. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that toy-related injuries sent almost 73,000 children under the age of five to emergency rooms in 2005. Twenty children died from toy-related injuries that year.

In a prepared statement, Meagher said that while TexPIRG has seen progress after more than two decades of advocacy on behalf of America’s littlest consumers, its researchers still found trouble in toyland on store shelves this month.

“We’ve known for decades that lead poses serious health risks to children, yet consumers can still find lead-laden children’s jewelry and lead painted toys on store shelves,” Meagher said.

Congressman Rodriguez supported Meagher’s claim and added that Congress has been negligent in not doing the right thing in inspecting toys that come into the United States. Rodriguez is calling for increased funding for the CPSC, the governmental agency charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products.

“Shoppers should remember that no government agency test toys,” Meagher said. “You should examine all toys carefully for hidden dangers before you make a purchase this holiday season and watch for further recalls.”

For a list of CPSC recall announcements and product safety alerts, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html