Lead Hazards in Some Holiday Toys and Toy Jewelry

"Protect children from exposure to lead in metal and plastic toys, especially imported toys, antique toys, and toy jewelry.

Many children get toys and toy jewelry as gifts during the holiday season. Some toys, especially imported toys, antique toys, and toy jewelry, may contain lead. Although lead is invisible to the naked eye and has no smell, exposure to lead can seriously harm a child’s health.

Young children tend to put their hands, toys, or other objects―which may be made of lead or contaminated with lead or lead dust―into their mouths. If you have a small child in your household, make sure the child does not have access to toys, jewelry, or other items that may contain lead.

Lead in Toys

Lead may be found in the paint, metal, and plastic parts of some toys and toy jewelry, particularly those made in other countries, as well as antique toys and collectibles.

• In 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was signed into law, requiring toys and infant products to be tested to mandatory standards before being sold, CPSIA and Lead Fact Sheet pdf icon[118 KB]external icon.
• The use of lead in plastics has not been banned. Lead softens plastic, making a toy more flexible to return to its original shape. Lead may also be used in plastic toys to stabilize molecules from heat.
• Lead dust can form on toys when some plastics are exposed to sunlight, air, and detergents that break down the chemical bond between the lead and plastics.
• Lead also may be combined with other metals, such as tin, to create alloys that are used to make toys..."
  Lead in toys