Ten Toys You Don't Want Under Your Christmas Tree This Year

There should be plenty of safe toys in the market this Christmas season to choose from, even after 27 million toys being recalled in the last few months. But the annual Ten Worst Toys list for 2007 has just been issued, along with a warning to parents: Eye suspiciously smiling, colorful, and huggable toys sitting on shelves across the nation.

W.A.T.C.H. (World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc.), a charitable non-profit corporation, issued their annual list of ten dangerous toys at a press conference on November 13, at the Franciscan Hospital for Children, in Boston, MA. The list goes from "Go Diego Go Animal Rescue Boat" for potential lead ingestion injuries, to "Rubber Band Shooter," for potential eye injuries. Those toys in the list, says W.A.T.C.H., can cause even death to kids.

Here is the list of nominees:

Go Diego Go Animal Rescue Boat: potential for lead ingestion injuries.

Sticky Stones Hazard: potential for chocking and internal injuries.

Jack Sparrow's Spinning Dagger Hazard: potential for eye and other impact injuries.

Dora the Explorer Lamp Hazard: potential for electric shock and burn injuries.

Lil "Giddy Up" Horse - Sassy Pet Saks Hazard: potential for ingestion or aspiration injuries.

Spider Man 3 New Goblin Sword: potential for impact injuries.

Hip Hoppa: potential for head or other impact injuries.

B'Loonies Party Pack: potential for chemical ingestion and burn injuries.

My Little Baby Born: potential for choking injuries.

Rubber Band Shooter: potential for eye injuries

"The list", said Edward Swartz, founder of W.A.T.C.H., "exposes toy hazards seen year after year." W.A.T.C.H. highlighted the increased number of dangerous toys reaching the market. During the last 12 months since the annual list came out last year, 66 toy recalls, representing 27 million units, "clearly indicate a broken system that needs fixing before more children are harmed," says Swartz.

The consumer advocate group said the great number of recalls is a clear sign of an industry stressing profits over child safety. Most recalls were issued due to lead and small parts violations. "Lead, which accumulates in a child's body over time, can cause permanent, irreversible injuries such as growth and behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and death," according to W.A.T.C.H..

The toy industry standard continues to be a problem, say Swartz, pointing out to the "numerous toy recalls due to choking hazards in the last 12 months. Choking is the cause of 44 percent of toy-related deaths."

Representatives form W.A.T.C.H. said the toys in the list are not the only ones posing a danger to children but serve as a sample of the hazards being sold to consumers.

Swartz stated that toys should be screened by manufactures and retailers before making toys available to consumers nationwide. Many consumers are unaware of recalls and take home products that represent a time bomb in their child toy's box, says W.A.T.C.H..

Swartz began his national crusade to educate consumers since 1968, warning about hazardous products aim to children.

Dan Brizel "Ten Toys You Don't Want Under Your Christmas Tree This Year," Associated Content
2007 "Ten Worst Toy" List
W.A.T.C.H. World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc.