skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Report: Some Toys Pose Health, Security Risks

play audio
Play

Tuesday, November 28, 2017   

LANSING, Mich. – Now that the holiday shopping season is in full swing, anyone buying presents for kids is urged to do some homework before purchasing toys, particularly those with technology components.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group has released its "Trouble in Toyland" report. The list of toy-safety hazards includes some of the usual concerns over small parts and lead content, but today's high-tech toys raise new issues.

The doll "My Friend Cayla" is on the list; it has Bluetooth capability that PIRG's Kristen Carver says is cause for concern.

"Your child can ask it questions, and it talks back to you," she says. "It has an unsecured Bluetooth connection. Anybody could really access it and could potentially listen in on things that are going on in your home."

The FBI recently issued a warning against toys that include unsecured technology, and the doll is banned in Germany. The company has insisted in public statements the doll is safe.

PIRG also found high levels of lead in some fidget spinners sold at Target, although the retailer says it has since removed them from its shelves.

Carver cites problems with toys found in dollar stores that had conflicting information on their packaging.

"They had misleading labels," she notes. "So, they had labels that said they're 'not for children under 8,' however they also had a '3-plus' label."

She adds magnets and button batteries present extra concerns as choking hazards since they can cause severe damage to a child's digestive system and take extra time to be discovered in their bodies. To make sure smaller toys don't present a choking hazard to young children, Carver recommends using a toilet paper roll. Any toy or part that fits inside the roll could get lodged in a child's throat.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021