from one of my listservs.

WM

Dear MomsRising member,

We heard from outraged young moms, grandmas, pre-schools, and our own team members about one thing yesterday: Toxic lead in a popular line of children’s toys. It’s a scary thing. Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends toys are now the subject of a major recall by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC advises consumers to immediately stop using these toys. Here’s the link to their recall notice so you can find out exactly which toys are trouble.

*Pass this email along to friends with kids so they can make sure their kids don’t have these toys, or put them in their mouths! Sadly, more and more imported toys are being recalled due to toxics. So after you tell your friends about the Thomas recall, then please take action to stop this toxic trend by signing our petition (the link is below).

TELL CONGRESS & THE CPSC TO GET THE LEAD OUT: Sign the petition to let Congress and the CPSC know that, “Testing children’s products for toxic chemicals must be a priority. No more toxic toys and children’s products!”

*Just click here to sign the petition for children’s safety now.

We’ll deliver these petition signatures to key members of Congress, and the Executive Director of the CPSC, Patsy Semple, to let them know we demand safety and higher standards for our children. And, we’ll also let those leaders know the amount of petition signatures that come in on a daily basis so they know a movement for change is building. When leaders are backed by large numbers of people, then they can more quickly and effectively make important changes. So the more people that sign on the petition, the faster we’ll get on top of this issue. Please forward this email and petition link to your friends and family so we can push these changes through quickly.

STOP THIS TOXIC TREND: Sadly recent exposure to lead isn’t limited to Thomas the Tank Engine toys. Unhealthy levels of lead are being found in many children’s products, from bibs to vinyl lunchboxes to candy. This is particularly dangerous because children under six years old are more likely to put things in their mouths, and because children’s developing bodies and brains are more vulnerable to heavy metal exposures than adults.

The Centers for Disease Control notes: Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead poisoning often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures, coma, and even death. Joining together, we can stop these unsafe toys and children’s products. Let’s stand up as parents and demand oversight from the agency that’s supposed to protect us?the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

*Don’t forget to sign the petition for children’s safety.

Thanks for taking time to make a difference! – The MomsRising Team

p.s. For more information about the Thomas the Tank Engine product recalls, as well as about the increase in imported children’s products with lead, read this ABC News story.

p.p.s. Here’s a Center for Disease Control web site which is very informative about lead poisoning.

p.p.s.s. Find out about other recalled children’s products.