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Easter's Toxic Threat
Is no holiday safe from lead poisoning?
Following a rash of toy recalls over the Christmas season, the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Friday announced that it has ordered a recall of Easter egg containers and some Easter-themed spinning tops for safety reasons.
The cause? Same as with the Christmas recalls: Too much lead in the paint.
The source? Again, same as with the Christmas recalls: China.
The inexpensive holiday gewgaws, sold by Hobby Lobby Stores, were covered in lead-based paint. Children could receive a dangerous dose of lead by licking the toys or accidentally consuming paint flakes.
According to the National Safety Council, even very low levels of lead exposure can have devastating health effects: reduced IQ, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, behavioral problems, stunted growth, impaired hearing, and kidney damage.
Children six years old or younger are especially vulnerable, the council says, because their brains and central nervous system are still being formed.
by Mark Stein
