World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.) has unveiled their annual list of the top 10 most dangerous toys of 2009. The list includes everything from a Disney-Pixar Wall-E foam rocket launcher, a Curious George children’s book, a Dark Knight Batman action figure from Mattel, to an X-Men Origins Slashin’ Action Wolverine action figures from Hasbro.
According to the consumer watchdog group the list nominates representative toys with the potential to cause childhood injuries, or even death. W.A.T.C.H.’s annual “Toy Conference” has generated extensive national press and media coverage. Because of these efforts, and the positive response from both the media and the public, there have been many toy and product design changes.
“A lot of the same hazards we see, year after year, are still appearing on the shelves,” said James Swartz, an attorney and director of group that has produced the list each year since 1972.
The group has fearlessly exposed potentially dangerous toys to the general public. As a result, children’s lives have been saved by successfully getting a number of toys pulled from the shelves.
The Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that in 2008 at least 19 toy-related deaths occurred in the United States. There were also about 235,300 toy-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms.
For a full list of the group’s 2009 10 worst toys, click here.