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California Concerned About What Lurks Within Bouncy Castles
Filed under: In The News, Weird But True, Health & Safety: Big Kids
Is the party over for bouncy castles? Credit: Getty Images
OK, so doom might be a bit of an overstatement. However, the state of California insists lead levels in inflatable bouncy castles for children pose a significant threat. They are filing a lawsuit against a number of bouncy moguls.
The lawsuit, according to The New York Times, claims some bouncy structures have lead content dozens of times past the federal limit.
"I was surprised," California Attorney General Jerry Brown tells The Times. "But as we test more and more of these products, we find dangers."
Some defendants suspect a political motive behind lawsuit. Brown, once known as "Governor Moonbeam" for his starry-eyed musings about space exploration, is trying to get his old job back in November.
Robert Field, the senior vice president of Cutting Edge Creations Inc. and a defendant in the suit, tells The Times the investigation is a "witch hunt" that could seriously hurt the bouncy industry.
"California already has many financial problems," Field adds. "Do they really wish to potentially place thousands of small-business owners that operate children's party centers out of business?"
However, The Times reports the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, an advocacy group, tested dozens of bouncy houses. Researchers concentrated on the vinyl that gives them their bounce.
Lead levels in the vinyl reportedly varied from 5,000 parts per million to 29,000, far above the federal limit of 90 to 300 parts per million.
Charles Margulis, a spokesman for the center, tells The Times kids aren't going to die from jumping around bouncy castles. However, he adds, they should wipe their hands and faces afterward.
Dr. Megan Schwarzman, a family physician and an associate director at the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry, tells Times she hasn't seen the test results, but that there was no safe level of lead exposure for children.
"Everyone is exposed from so many different sources," she adds.
Brown tells The Times he wants manufacturers to stop using vinyl containing lead and for rental companies and party places to post warnings about lead in bouncy houses.
"I certainly don't want to be a kill joy here," he adds. "I just think parents should be cognizant."
Related: Opinion: Why I Hate Bouncy Castles
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 4)
8-13-2010 @ 7:00AM
Natlly said...Let me guess...the vinyl was made in China! They repeatedly sell us products that have too much lead in them and more often than not, they are probably never discovered. Why don't we just threaten to stop importing from them if they don't stop!!! How many times have you heard in the news about a recall on toys made in China because of discovered lead content? This is our children we are talking about!!!
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 11:36AM
sunnyyellowroses said...Well I happened to be in Washington one day... and one congressman did try. he gave them an excellent speech, but it feel on deaf ears. The real reason is that China can slap us on the hands if we don't import enough but we don't slap them on the hands... the reason is ... find out who really owns the Federal Reserve... how Obama became our President! and why you don't have a constitution anymore... what date he will enact marshal law... and what we should have learned from President Andrew Jackson who stopped the Reserve and got us out of DEBT for the first and last time! and how he warned us to watchout for the owners of the Federal Reserve and their wanting to control the world... and guess what! it's here!
8-13-2010 @ 12:00PM
rhymon said...As long as Americans continue to buy these products, they will NOT stop importing them!!! Not to mention that with bill clintons world trade practices, We MUST import a certain number of imports in order for American polititians to continue borrowing money from china that we can never repay.... You want to stop this??? Than everyone must do without products from china completely!!! By the way, we will than be OVER-TAXED even more to repay washingtons debts... By the way my 5 year old owns very little toys because none are from china!!! LOSE,LOSE situation!!!! GOODLUCK FOLKS....
8-13-2010 @ 12:44PM
Bounce Man said...The vinyl was made in Canada. The items were manufactured in the US. The ONLY companies that do not show for lead in their bouncers manufacture in China. You probably won't see that highlighted in this story.
How do I know? I am in charge of compliance for a major distributor.
8-13-2010 @ 7:24PM
Vosovic said...Wouldnt it serve everyone better if the do-gooders would measure the lead content in the vinyl at the China factory and not after a budding entrepreneur invests his family's life savings in a business venture?
The kids arent eating the vinyl.
8-13-2010 @ 6:39PM
tinker said...Read ........... Starve the Monkeys ... and either do it or stop complaining about them poisoning us... we have the power.. to stop them.. maybe... and read Direct Citizen Action .......... amazon . com
8-13-2010 @ 7:35PM
King David said...Lead Hell!!! I'd wonder what is LIVING inside those things when they are deflated and moved to other locations OR just living inside the ones that are stationary!!! There has to be some vile things living inside them after the kids piss in them, or spit, or have diaper problems, or WHATEVER!!! As far as the lead issue -- what do they have to do?? Suck on the floors and walls?? I can't see where just bouncing on the vinyl can actually be a MAJOR contamination issue.
8-13-2010 @ 9:22PM
racings12a said...Vosovic and King David you don't have to ingest lead to get lead poisoning. It can get into your system thru your pores. Take it from one who has had lead poisoning in the past from working in the construction industry. Metal decking used in floors for commercial buildings had a high content years ago. We didn't know about lead poisoning until sometime in the early 80's and used to get it on our clothes and go home hug our kids and transfer it to them and weren't even aware we were doing it. I commend California for their stand here. Natily you are right this is our kids and we need to protect them.
8-14-2010 @ 8:33PM
donalee said...I only buy American made unless I absolutely have to have it. Food, furniture, cars, whatever.
8-13-2010 @ 7:04AM
David said...This sort of article is very destructive. It is almost certain that the levels reported were in parts per billion, NOT parts per million. Do the math and you will see that 29000 PPM would be 2.9 %, which is ridiculous! Try to get the facts correct and if the numbers are funny, look a little deeper. This reporter is going to get someone sued. I would withdraw the article and print a retraction. Good luck!
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 7:31AM
Tom said...David:
I agree with your comment on the reported numbers. 290,000 ppm seems terribly excessive.
I also question what confirmational testing has been done.
There may be lead in the plastic, but is it released?
Have the children been sampled to determine lead concentrations on their feet, on their hands, and in their lungs?
"News" articles like this that present, or mis-present, only half of the information just wear me out.
8-13-2010 @ 7:12AM
Janet said...Why is California suing? I have head of REALLY nasty things being found in these bouncy castles, Http://www.childrenshealthsecrets.com but wouldn't that be the responsibility of the companies that own them and rent them out?
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 8:38AM
John S said...This is all part of the fear mongers agenda. Look at the generations that survived long lives without all this safety testing. My Grandmother died at 91, in '86. My Step-father also was 91 at his passing. We didn't have all this BS back then. I am 70 and as a kid played mostly in the dirt, with toys of my own creation and imagination. Nobody worried about what was in that soil. I don't take any regular medication, and don't support the drug companies. Their goal is to get everybody paranoid and dependent on their over-priced product. I do agree, we should stop buying so much from China, until their standards are improved and their people paid better.
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 11:18AM
mrsmommy345 said...What about the lead in pencils????? This is crazy and everyone gets so excited and worked up about everything!!!
8-13-2010 @ 12:15PM
ljsurf322 said...mrsmommy345, the "lead" in pencils is actually graphite. Look it up.
8-13-2010 @ 9:03AM
ctchas@aol.com said...The Bouncy Companies should sue back the State of California and the People who are elected to over see these things do not make it to the companies that buy them ..
Seems to me Jerry Brown needs to be leveled a coward for not going after the Manufactures instead of the businesses that buy the end product..
We should also sue the food and drug administration for its not being able to protect americans from dangers
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 9:51AM
MichaelGM said...Hey California...... "THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!"
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 10:08AM
dymgas said...I don't think there is enough lead poisioning (unless it came from China, which one writer suggests). I worry more about the infections from other children, colds, coughs, sneezing, yuk!
I'd rather see the money spent on spurts of Lysol going off in them every 30 seconds.
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 10:11AM
PETER KUHLAMN said...Cant wait for the big Earth Quake to hit so Ca floats out in to the ocean.
Reply
8-13-2010 @ 12:17PM
ljsurf322 said...Not seismically possible, sorry. In a few million years the CA coast will drift North, but that's it. Hah!