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RWM Home > Programs > Lead Hazard Prevention > Lead in Toys

Lead in Toys

There have been many toys taken off the market because they contain lead. The Consumer Product Safety Commission lists products that cannot be sold because of lead content.

Toys that sometimes have lead in them include:

  • toys made of PVC plastic (vinyl),
  • cheap metal jewelry.
  • painted toys made in countries with low labor costs such as China.

Avoid buying cheap metal jewelry and toys made of vinyl.

How can toys be tested for lead?

  • If you own painted toys, you can use LeadChecks to find out if there is lead paint or lead dust on the surface of a toy. If the LeadCheck turns pink or red, then the toy may have lead on it.
  • Laboratory testing can tell how much lead is in a toy, but a piece of the toy must be broken off and used for the testing.
  • Testing with an XRF, a hand-held piece of testing equipment, can tell you if there is any lead in the toy, but it cannot tell you exactly how much. An XRF must be operated by a person who is licensed to use it, and is very expensive to use. Some organizations may offer toy testing with an XRF at special events so they also can teach people about lead in housing.

The Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine helps support a web site with information on healthy toys. (Off-Site)

The National Center for Healthy Housing has two fact sheets to help parents make sense of the recent recalls of toys tainted with lead paint.

The National Geographic Green Guide Product Report on Toys describes the potential health and environmental risks of some materials used in toys, and provides solutions for finding safe toys.

Testing for Lead in Toys – Consumer Product Safety Commission study shows home lead test kits unreliable for testing for lead in toys.