Industry Statements

The Toy Association Statement on Water Beads

12/13/2023
Among reports of injury from the unintended/ misuse of water beads, a number of retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Target will stop the sale of water bead products intended for children. Safety is the number one priority for The Toy Association and its members. Safety standards for these products exist and continue to be evaluated as to whether enhanced protections are needed.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Chemicals in Toys

10/20/2023
All toys sold in the U.S. must comply with 100+ strict toy safety regulations, tests, and requirements designed to protect children at play, including the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Among other protections, these regulations make it illegal to sell toys or children’s products containing substances harmful to children and to which they might be exposed.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Cadmium and Heavy Metals

10/20/2023
Toys* sold in the United States are prohibited from containing heavy metals or any other substances that can result in harmful exposure to children. By law, toy companies must ensure that their products comply with all relevant standards, regulations, and tests – including applicable heavy metal limits – before they can be sold in this country.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Bisphenol-A (BPA)

10/20/2023
The Toy Association assures parents and caregivers that any Bisphenol-A (BPA) found in toys is safe, given its limited scope of use, minuscule amounts present, and limited risk of exposure in toy and game products.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Digital Play and Screen Time

10/20/2023
The Toy Association and its members are proud of the important, life-shaping role that toys, games, and play have in the development and growth of young minds and bodies.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Small Parts Regulation

10/20/2023
The federally-mandated small parts regulation that has been in place in the U.S. for more than four decades was established using research from the American Academy of Pediatrics, child development experts, government officials, and others. These requirements take into account the physiological makeup of a child.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Play and Healthy Lifestyles

10/20/2023
The Toy Association and its members are proud of the important, life-shaping role that toys, games, and play have in the development and growth of children. With the rise in childhood obesity rates sparking public health concerns, parents are rallying alongside medical professionals to encourage more active play – that which stimulates the body by encouraging kids to run, jump, and stretch.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Packaging / Environmental Sustainability

10/20/2023
Though toys comprise less than 1 percent of the typical household waste stream, there is an industry-wide understanding that everyone has a role to play in support of sustainability.

 

The Toy Association Statement on the Safety of Toys Made Outside of the U.S.

10/20/2023
Consumers have every reason to trust the safety of the three billion toys sold in America each year. All toys sold in the U.S., regardless of where they are made, must comply with strict U.S. standards.

 

The Toy Association Statement on AI & Internet Connected Toys / Internet of Things

10/20/2023
The Toy Association recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI), internet-connected products, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and services are becoming increasingly common in all types of household products, including those offered by toy companies.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Button Cell Batteries

10/20/2023
Batteries – especially small button- and coin-size batteries – can pose a serious health hazard if swallowed. If they lodge in the esophagus, the results can be life-threatening and immediate medical intervention is needed.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Flame Retardants

10/20/2023
Safety is the toy industry’s top priority. All toys sold in the United States must conform to stringent federal safety standards such as the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Not only do these toy safety standards contain tough flammability requirements, they also restrict the use of substances known to be harmful to children and to which children might be exposed.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Counterfeit Toys & Safe Shopping

10/20/2023
The Toy Association encourages shoppers to spend a few extra minutes digging deeper into a lesser-known online seller’s history, by searching for the company’s website and mission statement, and carefully reading reviews.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Toy Safety, Age Grading and Small Parts

10/20/2023
U.S. toy safety standards are among the toughest in the world and U.S. toymakers are committed to ensuring the safety of the toys they produce. It is equally important that parents and caregivers take an active role in ensuring safe and fun play.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Lead

10/20/2023
Working alongside medical experts and government officials, The Toy Association helped establish the first federal standards for lead in children’s products nearly 40 years ago.

 

The Toy Association Statement Regarding the Sound Level of Toys

10/20/2023
No toys intended for children and sold in the United States have been found to be dangerous based on their sound level. Toys sold in this country are required to comply with standards that include limits on sound level output.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Responsible Marketing to Children

10/20/2023
The Toy Association and its members are proud of the important, life-shaping role that toys, games, and play have in the development and growth of children. Play is an integral component of an educational, happy, healthy, and well-rounded childhood.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Magnets in Toys

10/20/2023
Strict federal toy safety standards prohibit the use of certain powerful magnets (usually rare earth magnets) in any toy part that is small enough to be swallowed and is intended for children under 14 years old.

 

The Toy Association Statement on the Use of XRF Technology

10/20/2023
The Toy Association believes that X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology may be reliably used as an initial screening mechanism, in the hands of a well-trained operator, for detecting the potential presence of certain substances in toys – as long as prescribed test methods are followed and the appropriate standard reference materials are used. A “positive” XRF result merely indicates that further comprehensive testing must be done by a government-accredited lab to confirm the presence of the substance.

 

The Toy Association Statement on Phthalates

10/20/2023
Specific restrictions on the presence of phthalates – ingredients that make some plastics soft and pliable – in toys and childcare articles are defined in 16 CFR 1307 (previously Section 108 of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), a federal law that was passed in 2008).

 

The Toy Association Statement on Toy Guns

10/20/2023
There have been a number of unfortunate incidents where items have been mistaken by law enforcement for real guns, often resulting in tragedy. While the items involved are often described as “toy guns,” they are not.

 

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