U.S. PIRG Identifies New Toy Safety Hazards

TOY SAFETY—Alison Cassady releases the 21st annual toy safety report. This year’s report highlighted the hazards posed by toys with powerful magnets and toy jewelry with unsafe amounts of lead.

Hazardous toys are still sold in stores across the country, according to the 21st annual toy safety survey released in November.

“While we can report substantial progress after more than two decades of advocacy on behalf of America’s littlest consumers, our investigation still shows trouble in toyland,” said U.S. PIRG Research Director Alison Cassady.

According to the most recent data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), almost 73,000 children under the age of five were treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries in 2005, and 20 died. This year, U.S. PIRG highlighted the hazards posed by toys with powerful magnets. If a child swallows more than one magnet, they can attract to each other and cause life-threatening complications. On the day of the report release, CPSC recalled 2.4 million magnetic “Polly Pockets” after several reported injuries. In 2007, the agency has recalled two magnetic toy sets.

U.S. PIRG-Backed Bill Would Lower Rx Drug Prices

In January, the House of Representatives passed the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Act of 2007, which could save Medicare $50 billion on the cost of prescription drugs. The bill, opposed by the powerful drug industry, would allow Medicare to use its bulk buying power to negotiate discounted drug prices directly with manufacturers.

Currently, the law explicitly prohibits Medicare from negotiating lower prices. All industrialized countries except the U.S. negotiate lower prices with drug makers.

The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee and then to the Senate floor for a vote.

“PIRG members will be instrumental in passing this bill,” said U.S. PIRG Consumer Advocate Paul Brown. “Our members have already sent 5,000 letters to senators urging them to pass the legislation.”

Bipartisan Chemical Security Progress Derailed

In October, the House failed to improve safety protections at chemical facilities. The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 (HR 5695) would have required the most dangerous chemical and manufacturing plants to look for safer ways of doing business, such as using safer alternatives to toxic chemicals whenever those alternatives exist.

Instead, the chemical industry reached a closed-door deal to displace permanent and comprehensive chemical security provisions with weaker, temporary provisions. Congress approved the weaker provisions in September.

Across the United States, thousands of industrial facilities use and store hazardous chemicals in quantities that put large numbers of Americans at risk of serious injury or death.

According to EPA, the risk is widespread with more than 100 facilities each putting a million people or more at risk of injury or death in the event of an accident or terrorist attack.

Despite industry claims of more protections, federal studies confirm that security at chemical facilities ranges from poor to non-existent.

“The industry deal takes real chemical security solutions off the table and replaces them with an inadequate temporary program,” said Staff Attorney Alex Fidis.

“Congress was as close as it has ever been to passing permanent chemical security regulations, but a few lawmakers capitulating to the chemical industry’s demands derailed years of work to protect communities from chemical terrorism.”

E. Coli Outbreak Prompts Food Safety Concerns

Last fall’s E. Coli and salmonella outbreaks revealed serious failures in the safety of the country’s food supply. Instead of working to improve food safety, last year the House approved the National Uniformity for Food Act—a dangerous bill that would eliminate critical state food safety protections and notification requirements, and deprive states of the authority to protect their citizens from food-borne illnesses.

Shortly after E.coli in spinach hospitalized hundreds and killed three people, the Food and Drug Administration reported that salmonella from contaminated tomatoes served at restaurants in 21 states had made 183 people sick.

“When it comes to the safety of America’s food supply, consumers deserve the highest possible standards,” said U.S. PIRG Staff Attorney Alex Fidis.

The National Food Uniformity Act would remove strong food protections established by the states, like safety standards for milk, seafood and vegetables, and replace them with uniform federal standards that are generally weaker.

U.S. PIRG worked to generate opposition to the bill in the Senate, which killed the legislation by refusing to bring it up for a vote. U.S. PIRG will continue to protect the vital role that the states play in maintaining and expanding food safety protections.