In 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) investigators have
seized a record number of toys due to lead contamination. On
November 14 at the Jacksonville, FL., port alone, officials
confiscated 24,000 toys for lead and other violations that
totaled around $220,000. Some of the toys contained lead
1,000-times higher than the allowable amount. The most common
cause of lead poisoning in children is lead-based paint, like
that found on some toys. Kids can get lead poisoning by ongoing
exposure to the paint, or by ingesting items with the paint.
According to WebMD.com, lead can damage almost every organ in a
child’s body. “Too much lead in the body can cause lasting
problems with growth and development. These can affect behavior,
hearing, and learning and can slow the child’s growth. Young
children [6 and under] are at higher risk because they often put
their hands and objects in their mouths, sometimes swallow
nonfood items. Their bodies absorb lead a