HealthyToys.org — Using the Site

HealthyToys.org includes test results for over 1,200 toys and children's products. In cases where toys had many different components (building blocks of different colors, for example, or dolls with fabric and plastic), researchers attempted to collect a useful number of samples from each toy. For this reason, the data reflects over 3,000 individual samples of different product components. Two testing methods were used: an X-ray technology that identifies elements on the surface of a product, called an XRF machine (see methodology for more details) and lab testing for lead. Based on these results, each product tested was given an overall rating, as well as an individual chemical rating. A detailed description of the rating system is provided in the product rating section.

A summary of the rating system is below:

Each toy is given a rating for five elements that represent the presence of chemicals of concern. Those elements are lead, mercury, cadmium, chlorine and arsenic. Products were assigned a low, medium or high level to indicate the relative level of a chemical in a product. These levels are not meant to correspond to levels known to cause health effects. The presence of chlorine above 10,000 ppm was determined to be PVC plastic. Because there are no mandatory allowable levels in the U.S. (with the exception of a lead paint in toys restriction) the levels were determined by consulting existing standards and voluntary guidelines for toys, packaging, or other products either in the United States or Europe.

The overall rating was determined using the findings for each of the chemicals measured. A toy with one or more medium ratings and no high ratings would get a medium. A toy with just one high rating would get a high rating. For a low rating, the toy must have only low ratings.

We also noted the presence of "other chemicals" which include tin, antimony, chromium and bromine if we found those elements above 100 ppm. The presence of these chemicals was not calculated as part of the overall score because the form of the chemical in the product could not be determined and the toxicity can vary widely depending on the compound. The presence of these chemicals in children's products deserves more attention and research. In the overall score, we simply noted their presence with an asterisk next to the overall rating.

Note: Some children's products were analyzed in a lab for lead only. Those products are noted in the database. In addition to toxic chemicals, consumers should consider other issues, including other toy safety hazards when considering a toy or children's product purchase. Visit the Toy Safety page, as well as: http://www.uspirg.org/issues/toy-safety.

Other features of the HealthyToys.org site include:

For a detailed description of our rating system and methodology, visit the product rating section of the website

You can search for your children's product using the search function, by the toy name, or generate a list of toys tested by brand or by toy type.

You can keep a list of toys using the website's list function.

If your toy isn't on the database, and you'd like us to test it for you, just view our list and cast your vote or nominate your toy. We will regularly test the most requested toys.

In other areas of the HealthyToys.org site you can Take Action, learn more about the details of our testing, or get additional information about chemicals. Explore the site and let us know what you think - we'd love to hear from you!

HealthyToys.org ratings do not provide a measure of health risk or chemical exposure associated with any individual toy or children's product, or any individual element or related chemical. HealthyToys.org ratings provide only a relative measure of high, medium, and low concentrations of several hazardous chemicals or chemical elements in a toy or children's product in comparison to criteria established in the site methodology.