Lead Toy Testing Recap

Since December, the City Attorney’s Office has sponsored eight successful lead toy exchanges at sites across the City of Los Angeles. Because there are no safe levels of lead, City Attorney prosecutors have worked tirelessly to protect Angelenos from the dangers of lead in the home, and in consumer products.

Toys that were found to contain lead were exchanged for a $25.00 American Express gift card. At the testing in February, over 250 cards were handed out in exchange for dangerous toys.

Lead has been listed since 1987 on the Governor's list of chemicals that can cause reproductive harm and birth defects, and since 1992 has been on the list of chemicals known to cause cancer. Exposure to lead occurs chiefly from ingestion, such as eating or putting objects into the mouth, putting young children particularly at risk.

Impacts include birth defects, learning disabilities, hearing loss, reduced attention span, and behavioral abnormalities. Teenagers also can suffer adverse effects, which include brain damage, kidney damage, hearing loss, and impaired growth.

Again, our thanks to our partners in this effort -the Healthy Homes Collaborative, the Center for Environmental Health and other community-based environmental advocacy organizations.