Keeping kids safe by choosing safe toys
Each year, U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups, releases a report on the safety of toys called Trouble in Toyland.
In the 26th annual survey, US PIRG reports the following:
Despite national bans, lead continues to be found in toys. Lead is an extremely harmful metal--especially to children's neurological development. Once exposed, it's difficult for our bodies to get rid of lead, and it builds up in our system. Generally, very heavy metal toys and jewelry are most likely to contain lead or cadmium (another toxic metal). Choose lighter metals, or unpainted wooden or cloth toys instead.
Some plastic toys have high levels of phthalates. US PIRG found two toys with extremely high levels of phthalates. These chemicals are used to make plastic flexible, and have been associated with reproductive and developmental problems.
Some toys continue to be choking hazards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has specific size standard for toys intended for children under three. The CPSC found several toys that were in violation of those standards.
Some toys are too noisy. Some music players and toys were found to emit sounds that could harm the hearing of children. If a toy seems too noisy, it probably is harmful to children.
The US Pirg has released a tip sheet about toy safety (pdf) that has tips about avoiding the above concerns, and others such as buying magnets for children (if they are small and many are swallowed, they could join together in the stomach and cause major injury). On your mobile phone, you can point your browser to toysafety.mobi which will show you unsafe toys, recalled toys, and give tips while you're out shopping.
October 29: National Prescription Take Back Day
This Saturday, October 29, is National Prescription Take Back Day.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is sponsoring this day nationwide, which will allow consumers to safely dispose of their prescriptions nationwide.
The state of Oregon will have over forty locations statewide that will take prescriptions, no questions asked.
Unused medicines present a threat to households, and to the environment. They are dangerous to households with children or pets who may ingest them, and because they degrade over time, they are not safe for adults to take, either.
Medicines that are improperly disposed of when consumers throw them in the trash or flush them down the toilet become an environmental concern and end up in community drinking water supplies or harm wildlife. Organizations such as The Sierra Club are concerned about "the stew effect," which occurs when medications mix in the water system, causing unknown effects in our environment.
While the Food and Drug Administration provides a tip sheet (pdf) for disposing of medications, one of the best ways to get rid of them is to drop them off at a collection location this Saturday, October 29, from 10am to 2pm. You can check out the DEA's site for more information.
Water safety is critical on Oregon's rivers and lakes
On August 21, 2011, a young Cottage Grove woman died while floating down the Willamette River.
Lane County Search and Rescue Coordinator John Miller told the Eugene-Register Guard that the group made a number of mistakes: they were using flimsy watercraft that could easily puncture or bend, they were tied together interfering with maneuverability, and they were not wearing life vests.
Mr. Miller noted that while life vests were were in the boat: “Accidents happen so quick. You reaction time is zero.” Other errors made by summer boaters including starting too late in the day, not giving enough time to reach their end point before dark, and drinking too much alcohol.
Many of Oregon's waterways are born of snow melt, which means that they are extremely cold and that drowning can occur more quickly--as your body gets cold, the body weakens which means that even the strongest swimmer could have trouble in a rapidly-moving river.
Mario Vittone, an expert in drowning and water safety wrote a widely-circulated article titled "Drowning doesn't look like drowning," in which he described the act of drowning. In it, he writes:
There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult.
With state and local budget cuts, water safety classes are not offered by public agencies. However, outdoor programs run fee-based classes which have water safety components. In Eugene, available park and recreation classes can be seen at www.eugene-or.gov. Shandy Shaffer, youth and family services manager for Eugene's recreation programs describes the classes:
“One of the first things we do is a safety talk: how to put on your life jacket, how to operate the boat in unison with your captain, how to take commands, what to do in the event you fall out of the boat ... It really is the best way to have a good time, to have all those safety checks in place.”
Water safety information is also available through the Oregon State Marine Board’s website at www.boatoregon.com.
Unilever issues allergy alert for Popsicles sold in Oregon, 17 other states.
Unilever has issued an allergy alert and recall for consumers who bought Popsicle-brand popsicles in Oregon and 17 other states. Some of the boxes were mislabeled, and contain Fudgsicle or Creamsicle ice pops, which contain milk and could pose a risk to children and others who are allergic to milk.
