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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 15 november 2017
Consumer safety

group unveils its

‘worst toys’ list

BOSTON (AP) — Fidget sees year after year. She
spinners, a plastic Wonder pointed to the “Pull Along
Woman battle sword and a Pony” by Tolo Toys that’s
remote-controlled Spider- marketed for children over
Man drone are among the age 1 but has a 19-inch
toys topping a consumer cord.
safety group’s annual list of “We don’t need a testing
worst toys for the holidays. lab to know that’s a stran-
World Against Toys Causing gulation and entangle-
Harm, or WATCH, unveiled ment hazard,” she said.
the top 10 list Tuesday at With consumers increasing-
a Boston children’s hospi- ly doing their holiday shop-
tal. The nonprofit organiza- ping online, it’s more im-
tion has been releasing the portant than ever to have
lists for more than four de- the most current informa-
cades. tion about the safety of a A remote-controlled Spider-Man drone is displayed during
WATCH claims fidget spin- toy online, Siff said. a news conference Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, in Boston, where
ners contain small parts For example, Hallmark’s the child safety group World Against Toys Causing Harm, or
that can be a choking Disney-themed “Itty Bit- W.A.T.C.H., released its annual holiday list of the ten most haz-
hazard, Mattel’s Wonder tys” plush stacking toy for ardous toys.
Woman sword has the babies was recalled over Associated Press
potential to cause blunt- the summer due to fabric
force injuries and Marvel’s pieces that posed a chok-
Spider-Man drone has mul- ing hazard.
tiple rotating blades that But the toy still is readily
can lead to eye and other available online because
bodily injuries. many web sales are rarely
The Toy Association, an monitored for recalls, Siff
industry trade group, dis- noted.
missed the list as “needless- Among the other toys that
ly frightening” to parents made this year’s list is Nerf’s
because all toys sold in the “Zombie Strike” crossbow,
U.S. meet “rigorous” safety which the organization
standards. It also criticized says poses the risk of eye
the organization for not and face injuries because
testing the toys it focuses it uses a pressurized, pull
on. back lever to shoot soft
National toy safety stan- projectiles.
dards are “inadequate,” Razor’s “Heel Wheels” are
as can been seen by the strapped onto children’s
high number of recalls shoes to turn them into im-
each year, WATCH Presi- provised roller skates but
dent Joan Siff said. pose a burn risk because
The nonprofit says there they include “real sparking
have been at least 15 re- action.”
calls representing nearly 2 And “Slackline” is a tight-
million units of dangerous rope-like device by Brand
toys since December. 44 meant to be anchored
Siff stressed the toys named between two trees that
each year have common WATCH says can lead to
hazards that the group severe injury and death.q