It's about time: Toys R Us and Wal-mart step up toy safety standards--

I've always been quite skeptical and downright weary of big box stores, because of many, many reasons (most of which have been in the press in recent years). It's not just that I don't like being in large groups of people, under bright lights, with tacky music playing. It's all the social and environmental reasons that really stop me in my consumer tracks. You've all heard the stories, the wetlands filled in by Wal-marts (but they created one just like it down the street--honest!), the mom and pop stores shut down by the huge, price slashing competition, the water runoff polution problems because of all that blasted pavement, and the list goes on.

But this post is not about that. I am sorely aware that many of us have to do some of our shopping at big box stores. For some, the big box store is all that is in the area that carries underwear, storage containers, and socks. Some simple necessities. For folks living in poverty, and those in the shrinking middle class, these stores allow consumers to buy more than they would otherwise be able to. Socks, toys, a stroller-- inevitably most Americans end up at a box store, despite the best of intentions (or not).

So, it is heartening to hear that the big retailers are making some changes to improve toy and baby product safety.

Last week both Wal-Mart and Toys R Us came out with similar plans: to strengthen their toy and product safety. Toy R Us has an impressive list of objectives: to have third party screening of imported toys, dropping the "acceptable" levels of lead to 90ppm (from 600ppm), and by the end of 2008, all products for babies will not be allowed to contain phthalates. They are also phasing out the use of PVC (vinyl) in products for babies and young children. Apparently, Wal-Mart outlined similar goals.

This is all great news, and certainly a step in the right direction. But it is not enough. I didn't read any mention of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby products being phased out. And why, exactly, is 90ppm of lead in a toy "acceptable" to begin with? There should be no lead in products intended for use by any human, any age. Of course, we need federal legislation to outline more stringent safety standards for all manufacturers to be mandated to follow.

Until these standards are fully in place, I would be weary of buying plastic toys made in China off the shelf in one of these stores. The new safety standards surely don't apply to what is in stores now. And the study by healthytoys.org tells us that many products with lead and other troublesome compounds are still on store shelves. There are also a host of environmental problems associated with buying lots of plastic toys for our kids, safe or not.

I'm glad there is a major effort to get control back from the manufacturers who have been given a free reign with our kid’s health. This is a long journey, and these two huge corporations have made a substantive and meaningful baby step (forgive the pun) in the right direction.

More information:

CNN Money article

MSN article

You can read a letter about the new safety standards from the Toys R Us CEO, here.