Child Safety Blog

The state of California and the city of Los Angeles brought a lawsuit against 17 toymakers a year ago over toxic lead content, and on Dec. 4, settled with nine of the defendants, as reported by Los Angeles Times’ Marc Lifsher. The settlement terms include a $1.8 million payment from the nine toy companies, as well as speedy actions to reduce level of lead in their products, including “toys, lunchboxes and novelty items imported from China and other developing nations.”

Lead has long been known to be toxic to human bodies, threatening the cognitive and nervous system and causing blood and brain disorders. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, lead poisoning is especially dangerous for children under 6 “because they are undergoing rapid neurological and physical development.” And even the slightest trace of lead could prove toxic; the Times article quoted Los Angeles City Attorney Delgadillo’s comment that “scientists have determined that there is no safe level of lead.”

The agreement reached between the prosecutors and the toymakers requires compliance with new federal lead standards beginning on Dec. 1, which “will safeguard California’s children from lead-contaminated toys this Christmas,” said California Attorney General Jerry Brown, who filed the lawsuit.

The $1.8 million payout from the nine companies includes an amount of $550,000 that will go into a "fund to test toys and improve outreach during future recalls."