Eco-group to consumers: Look for safe toys for kids

CEBU, Philippines -  As pre-Christmas shopping slowly picks up with the start of the “ber” months, a health and environmental watchdog promptly reminded consumers to go for safe children’s toys.

In a bid to spread toy safety information during the festive season, the EcoWaste Coalition recently launched a campaign with a theme “Kid-Safe Toys for Zero Harm, Zero Waste.”

Thony Dizon, coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect, said that through this campaign, the coalition  hope to enhance consumer alertness against lurking hazards in toy stores and the need to be extra cautious when making a purchase to protect the health and safety of kids.

“By ‘kid-safe toys,’ we mean products intended for use by children for learning or playing that pose no hazard to their growing minds and bodies and the surroundings,” said Dizon in a statement.

Dizon added that common toy hazards that consumers need to be on the lookout include choking, ingestion and inhalation hazards, as well as chemical, electrical, flammability, microbiological and mechanical hazards, which includes hearing damage, sharpness and puncture and strangulation hazards.

During the months leading to Christmas, the coalition will conduct a series of public information activities on various toy hazards, perform toy screening, carry out market surveillance and coordinate with responsible agencies and establishments for remedial action.

To guide consumers in selecting kid-safe toys, the Coalition has put forward the following tips to read the product label carefully, select toys that are appropriate for kid’s age, look for toys that are bigger than a child’s mouth to avoid choking, among others.  (FREEMAN)