Lab results have found an unhealthy amount of lead in popular toys available to adults and children nationwide.
The U.S. PIRG Education Fund found that two popular types of fidget spinners have high levels of lead. Those fidget spinners are currently for sale at Target stores across the country.
The high levels of lead were found in the "Fidget Wild Premium Spinner Brass" and "Fidget Wild Premium Spinner Metal".
Lead exposure in young kids has a large impact on development and can cause permanent brain damage. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to undermine IQ, attentiveness, and academic achievement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes clear that any amount of lead in a child's blood is unsafe and since the effects of lead exposure cannot be reversed, it is important to prevent lead exposure to children in the first place.
U.S. PIRG released their findings to make parents and consumers aware of these lead-laden toys. They say that they alerted Target and the toys distributor, Bulls-i-Toy about their findings, but they refused to address the problem.
Target claims the fidget spinners aren't products designed as a kids toy and that they are general use products. Children's products are subject to federal lead standards, branding them as general use allows the companies to bypass these standards.
The fidget spinners are still available both in toy aisles at Target stores and on its website.
U.S. PIRG recommends that adults and children stop using the select fidget spinners.
Mary Stringini is a digital reporter for ABC Action News. Follow her on Twitter @MaryWFTS.
