WASHINGTON — Federal regulators say they are looking into the safety of runaway hit toy Zhu Zhu Pets after a consumer group raised concerns over the presence of a heavy metal on one model.
And the consumer group that raised concerns over heavy metal on one model backtracked Monday, saying its testing method doesn’t match federal standards.
The consumer review group GoodGuide said over the weekend that it found that one of the robotic hamsters, Mr. Squiggles, had the heavy metal antimony in its hair and nose.
Antimony is used as a fire retardant in textiles and plastics, and chronic exposure can cause heart and lung problems and other health effects.
But GoodGuide used a relatively inexpensive X-ray device to test the toy, instead of performing more extensive solubility tests required by the federal government.
The toy’s maker, Cepia LLC, defended the product and released test results from an independent lab showing that the furry electronic hamster does not exceed federal limits for any toxic chemicals.
In addition, the toymaker said several of the major retailers that carry Zhu Zhu Pets also test the product before selling it and those tests have confirmed that it complies with federal standards.
A spokesman for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Monday that the toy “is not out of compliance” with a new U.S. toy safety law that began taking effect this year.
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