Burner Campaign to Offer Free Toxics Testing of Toys this Holiday Season
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sandeep Kaushik, (425) 443-2564
Bellevue, WA (December 6) – This holiday season Darcy Burner, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 8th Congressional District, will join with local community leaders in hosting a number of free sessions around the area where concerned parents can have toys tested for possible contamination with toxic chemicals like lead and cadmium.
On the weekend of December 15 and 16, Burner will host testing opportunities in seven communities around the district. Parents can bring in toys (or other children’s products) and have them analyzed on site as they wait to ensure that they products are safe. A list of dates, times and locations for the testing are provided below.
In Bellevue, Burner will be co-hosting the testing opportunity with Bellevue City Councilmember Claudia Balducci. In Redmond, she will by joined by State Senator Eric Oemig. In Renton, the event will be co-hosted by State Rep. Zack Hudgins. At Mercer Island, Burner will be joined by recent Council candidate Maureen Judge and City Coucilmember Mike Grady. In Covington, the testing is co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of the Foothills and co-hosted by State Senator Claudia Kauffman. The United Steelworkers District 12 will co-sponsor the event in Puyallup. Toy testing opportunities will also take place in Issaquah.
“I want to thank all of these dedicated civic leaders for co-hosting these important events. Together, we will do what it takes to keep our children safe,” Burner said.
In recent months, many popular toys have been recalled by manufacturers after they were discovered to contain such chemicals. But many other toys that contain dangerous contaminants remain on the market, according to local and national environmental and consumer protection groups.
"Our most important duty is protecting our children. Yet it's becoming clearer and clearer that this administration and its congressional allies have failed us yet again: our kids are playing with toxic toys," Burner said. "Enough. I'm stepping up to work with worried parents across the district to make sure children are not being hurt by the toys they play with in their homes."
The analysis will be done with the generous assistance of ESSCO Safety Check, an area company that specializes in offering home visits to test household items and toys for contamination with dangerous chemicals. Company representatives will be on hand with a XRF (X-Ray Flourescence) Analyzer, essentially a high-tech x-ray gun that can detect the presence of toxic chemicals in consumer products.
The Washington Toxics Coalition will also have representatives on site to provide informational materials and tips for how parents can keep their children safe this holiday season.
The testing will take place at the following locations:
| CITY | DATE | TIME | NAME | STREET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUYALLUP | Sat 12/15 | 9:00am–11:00am | Puyallup Public Library | 324 South Meridian |
| COVINGTON | Sat 12/15 | 12:00pm–2:00pm | Covington City Hall | 16720 SE 271st Street |
| RENTON | Sat 12/15 | 3:00pm–5:00pm | Fairwood Library | 17009 140th Avenue SE |
| MERCER ISLAND | Sat 12/15 | 6:00pm–8:00pm | Island Park Elementary | 5437 Island Crest Way |
| BELLEVUE | Sun 12/16 | 11:00am–1:00pm | Crossroads Bellevue Community Meeting Room |
15600 NE 8th Street |
| ISSAQUAH | Sun 12/16 | 2:00pm–4:00pm | Issaquah Library | 10 West Sunset Way |
| REDMOND | Sun 12/16 | 5:00pm–7:00pm | Redmond Reg. Library | 15810 NE 85th Street |
“The headlines about the massive recalls of toys contaminated with lead and other toxins made me realize that even my son had toys with lead paint. I took them away, but every parent should have the same peace of mind. The testing is free, fast and convenient, and could make a huge difference in protecting vulnerable children from serious harm,” Burner said.
Further details about these important opportunities to keep our children safe will be available at www.darcyburner.com.
