The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

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November 13, 2007

Store offering free tests for lead in children's toys

By Jamie Jones

Parents unnerved by the rash of recalls of toys with lead paint may be able to find some relief on Thursday.

Representatives of a Marietta-based company called Our Corban Inc. will be at Toys in the Attic in downtown Dalton from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering free lead testing for toys. Kathy Jenkins, co-owner of Toys in the Attic, said parents may bring three to four items to be tested, but asked that they not bring any toys already recalled.

“We’re just as concerned, as store owners, because we read about the horrible effects lead exposure can have,” Jenkins said. “We want to make sure what we’re selling — and what our customers have at their homes — isn’t harmful to children. We’re just hoping to help our customers.”

Lead exposure is most harmful to children under 6 and can cause several severe health problems, including brain damage, hearing loss and slowed growth. Jeremy Weir, owner of Our Corban, uses a device similar to a handheld bar code scanner with X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology to determine lead levels in toys, furniture, cosmetics and other items. It takes about 10 seconds to test each toy.

More than 20 million toys have been yanked off shelves so far this year as part of more than 60 recalls, twice the number the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued in 2006. Most recently, the commission ordered a recall of more than 175,000 Curious George toys because of high levels of lead paint in the doll’s face and hat.

One of the biggest headline makers was the recall of 4.2 million sets of Aqua Dots craft sets. When ingested, a chemical coating on the beads breaks down into the date rape drug GHB.

Toys in the Attic is at 226 N. Hamilton St. and can be reached at (706) 529-8697. For information on toy recalls, visit www.cpsc.gov. For information on Our Corban, visit www.exposinglead.com.

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