By Belinda Castles
Researcher | Kairangahau
All 18 toys we tested did not contain dangerous levels of heavy metals. However, an Australian test found more safety failures in products purchased from AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and Temu.
All 18 toys we tested did not contain dangerous levels of heavy metals. However, an Australian test found more safety failures in products purchased from AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and Temu.
It’s tempting to buy cheap, colourful toys online. The toys come in a range of materials with different-coloured parts. But these bright products can contain paints and pigments that include heavy metals. How much heavy metals are in a product can be a safety concern.
The Australian New Zealand toy standard has limits for allowable amounts of heavy metals. We tested 18 products for the presence of 8 heavy metals. We are pleased to announce that none of the products we tested had levels that were a concern.
That’s good news because frequent exposure to even small amounts of heavy metals, particularly lead, can be dangerous. It’s difficult for the body to excrete them. Ongoing exposure can lead to a build-up of toxic levels in the body and harm health.
In children, the heavy metal lead can affect brain development and increase the risk of behavioural problems and lower IQ. In adults, it can contribute to health issues such as:
central nervous system problems
hypertension
kidney damage
immune system dysfunction.
The World Health Organization has stated there is currently no known safe dose of lead.
Find out where lead might be lurking in your home in our lead investigation.
More unsafe toys found in Australian test
What’s not pleasing is the latest toy testing results from Australian consumer group Choice.
Choice tested 22 products suitable for children under 3 years old. This included rattles, teethers and whistles. Choice found that 6 products had serious safety failures, including the following choking hazards.
AliExpress rattle: unsecured small parts and the design of the handle.
Amazon lip-shaped whistle: unsecured small parts. The toy is designed to go between lips like a dummy, so could be mistaken for one (or used as one) by small children.
Amazon rattles: design of the handle on one rattle and beads on another rattle.
eBay rattle: unsecured small parts and the design of the handle.
eBay foam letters and numbers: parts that could be torn off.
Temu toy teether: pull strings that could get stuck in a baby’s throat. While the packaging states 18m+, it also features a photo of a younger baby and states ‘tailor-made for babies’.
The online marketplaces generally removed the toys from sale after being contacted by Choice. However, this test further highlights the safety risks of buying toys from online stores.
Last month, we reported on a Choice test of toys containing button batteries. More than 70% of those tested were putting kids at risk of serious injury.
In October, we published an investigation that found unsafe children’s toys, USB chargers and necklaces purchased from Shein and Temu.
In February, we found safety concerns in a selection of children’s toys in our investigation into the safety of kids’ toys from Temu.
Children deserve better protection
We’re repeating our recommendation:
Do not purchase children’s toys from Shein, Temu, eBay, Amazon or AliExpress.
Plus, it's a good idea to check any toys purchased from other online platforms and from stores in Aotearoa.
We also think it’s time consumers in New Zealand had the same online buying protections as consumers in Europe.
Consumers in the European Union (EU) have the protection of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA requires online platforms to act against non-EU-compliant products on their websites – even those from third-party sellers. The act is designed to ensure consumers can access safe, predictable and trustworthy online environments, including online marketplaces.
Tips for buying safe toys
Whānau Āwhina Plunket National Injury Prevention (Child Safety) manager Kathryn Impelmans says not all toys are created equal. She advises, before buying any toy, you check the safety of the following 6 factors.
Size – big enough not to choke on
Surface – smooth edges, no cracks or jagged bits, no sharp bits
Strings – not too long
Supervision – some toys need you there observing their use
Sound – not too loud for little ears
Specs – check the packaging for information on hazards, small parts and the right age range for children.
About our heavy metals test
We tested 1 sample of 18 children’s products in an accredited laboratory for the presence of:
antimony
arsenic
barium
cadmium
chromium
lead
mercury
selenium.
We selected a range of wooden, plastic and metal toy products. For all products, we tested 2 or more parts in different colours.
None of the parts contained levels of heavy metals that were a safety concern.
The toys we tested
Temu
VPHQWG Wooden Burger Sandwich Toy Set
YD Toys Educational Wooden Sorting and Stacking Toys
Daochen Wooden Number Puzzle and Beach Matching Game
VPHQWG Magnetic Wooden Dinosaur Train
Jasminess Wooden Colorful Smooth and Burr-free Egg Shakers.
eBay
KG Super Store Bigjigs Toys 22cm Cog Puzzle Kids/Children Interactive Wooden Sensory Toy
PECTurTea Squirting Ducks Baby Bath Water Toys Rotation Shower Toy Set for Bathtub
Kailu61 Kids Toddle Bath Toys Shooting Bathtub Basketball Hoop Bathing Shower Game Gift.
Shein
Fuzzy Caterpillar Toy
3-piece Baby Bath Toy Windmill Shower Kit
3-piece Girls Floral Charm Bracelet
Remote Control Car Key Toy with Light, Sound & Music Effect
Montessori Wooden Music Toys Xylophone
Shein Popmart Macaron Cute Doll Blind Box (fake Labubu doll).
Amazon
Pets Alive ZURU Pet’s Alive Swimming Axolotl Assorted
Hellowood Wooden Kids Bay Activity Cube 8-in-1 Toys Set
BestJJ Montessori Toys for Toddlers Counting Toys for Kids with Sorting Bowls
Tcvents Toy Airplane 6-pack Diecast Airplane Toys.
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora funded our investigations, including the heavy metals testing of the toys. This was part of the organisation’s ongoing efforts to understand and prevent lead poisoning.
