Print edition: 
HACKENSACK, N.J. — A children’s book. An Elmo phone. A plastic sleeping mask.
All made the 26th annual “Trouble in Toyland,” a report on potentially dangerous toys presented last week by the New Jersey chapter of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group at the Rainbow Castle Preschool.
“It’s incumbent on all of us as consumers. … When we buy toys, we make sure they don’t present hazards.” said Cindy Miller, deputy director at the New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs.
Toy dangers were divided into four categories by PIRG: choking risk, lead content, plastic chemical content and unsafe noise levels. Here are some things to look for when evaluating a toy:
• To check for choking risks, Abby Anderson of NJPIRG recommended a toilet paper roll test: if the toy can fit through the tube, it’s a hazard. Balloons, small balls, and toys with small component parts are also a danger.
• Despite tightened standards for lead content, some toys still violate the allowable levels. Miller said bright colored plastic toys, “the ones that really scream at you,” might signal dangerous lead levels.
• Plastic toys may also contain phthalates, a chemical that softens plastic and poses a danger to small children.
• Avoid toys that produce sustained noise above 85 decibels; for close-to-the-ear toys, such as toy phones and music players, that’s 65 dB.
One problem parents also could face is old toys, hand-me-downs, or secondhand toys, which may not have been subject to modern safety standards.
