No, plastic toys from the 1970s are generally not considered safe for modern play as many contain hazardous levels of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which were permitted then but exceed current safety standards, posing risks of developmental and health problems if ingested or handled, especially by young children who might chew on them. Studies show these vintage toys often fail modern tests for toxic substances, with yellow parts being particularly high in lead.
While I'm a big fan of reuse, hand-me-down plastic toys should generally be avoided. Old plastic is more likely to contain forever chemicals or even lead.
You can evaluate the safety of a toy by looking for safety labels. For instance, the ASTM F963 label is an international standard for toy testing. You can also check for any tags from other governing bodies, such as CPSIA and the EU toy safety mark. These labels are typically small and easy to miss – but they're there.
Why Vintage Toys Can Be So Dangerous. Many of the toys popular in the 1980s and 19902 were made before today's strict safety standards. Back then, manufacturers weren't required to conduct the same level of product testing or provide adequate warnings about potential hazards.
While I commend all reuse, when it comes to toys, vintage is iffy at best. The problem is that there are potentially hazardous materials in older toys that were permitted back in the day—lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and more.
All plastics leach chemicals
All of the products leached chemicals into the water. Several of the substances have potentially toxic effects. Oxidative stress was associated with 22 of the 24 plastic products that leached substances into the water. This can damage cells and cause inflammation and chronic disease.
The use of lead in plastics has not been banned. Lead is used to soften plastic and to make it more flexible so that it can go back to its original shape. It may also be used in plastic toys to stabilize molecules from heat.
The only accurate way to test a toy for lead is by a certified laboratory. Do-it-yourself kits are available at your local hardware store. However, these kits do not indicate whether the toys are safe. What to do if you are concerned about your child's exposure.
Soft toys like stuffed animals often have microplastics. Rather than tear your child away from their beloved stuffie, consider creating a plush-toy zone in your house, and perhaps limit the time they spend with these toys.
Lead and cadmium were reportedly found in about two thirds of the old toys and the levels often exceeded current limits on these metals. In addition to lead and cadmium, mercury and barium were also detected in some vintage toys.
PVC (soft vinyl plastic) often contains lead and phthalates, and the production or destruction of PVC releases cancer-causing dioxins into the en- vironment.
The "10 toy rule" refers to the Montessori-inspired practice of keeping only about 8-10 toys or activities accessible at a time for toddlers and preschoolers, rotating them in and out to reduce overwhelm, increase focus, and foster creativity and appreciation for what they have. It's a guideline for toy rotation, where parents store the majority of toys away, offering a limited selection that encourages deeper, more engaged play rather than constant switching between too many options.
Signs of toxicity in children may include:
Using 40-year-old Tupperware for food is generally not recommended due to potential health risks from chemicals like BPA, lead, or arsenic (used as colorants in older items) and physical degradation (cracks, scratches) that harbors bacteria, so it's best to repurpose it for non-food storage or display. While vintage Tupperware is durable, it wasn't designed for modern dishwashers or microwaves and can leach toxins, especially when heated or damaged, making glass or newer, BPA-free containers better food storage choices.
PVC toys are considered safe because they are hygienic, durable, do not break and are easy to clean. PVC toys have been used safely for decades, and are in many cases considered much safer than the products they replaced.
The 20 Toy Rule is a parenting concept where a child's toy collection is limited to around 20 items to reduce clutter, stress, and increase focus, leading to more creative and imaginative play by emphasizing quality over quantity. Parents help kids choose their favorite, most-used toys, often open-ended ones like blocks or cars, while putting others away or donating them, fostering better engagement with fewer, more meaningful possessions.
If your plastic toys are in good condition, donate them to a thrift shop or charity. Donation Town picks up unwanted toys and then gives them to children in need. You can send in used Hasbro toys and games to the Hasbro Toy Recycling Program, which is a free recycling program through TerraCycle.
Types of Microplastics: Primary & Secondary
Secondary microplastics originate from larger objects that have broken down. Secondary microplastics derive from typical plastic goods - most commonly trash bags, Ziploc bags, plastic water bottles, packaging, and fishing nets.
Multiple studies have found that hard microwavable plastic products, such as Tupperware and plastic packaging considered 'microwave safe,' release staggering amounts of microplastics into food, especially when microwaved due to heat and chemical reactions.
So whether a chemical is proven toxic or not, toys should list all chemical ingredients on the label, just like for food and cosmetics.
Symptoms often happen slowly, over weeks or longer. People with mild lead poisoning often have no symptoms. If not found early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can have: Damage to the brain and nervous system.
Some toys can be washed in the washing machine. Other toys can be wiped down by hand with soap and water. If you live in a home built before 1978 and you plan to renovate, repair or paint it, visit: www.epa.gov/lead. The most effective cleaning method combines vacuuming and wet washing at least once a week.
Chelation therapy.
In this treatment, a medicine given by mouth binds with the lead. The lead then passes out of the body in the urine. Chelation therapy might be needed for children with a blood level of 45 mcg/dL or greater and adults with high blood levels of lead or symptoms of lead poisoning.
Do not buy toys with sharp points or metal edges. Do not buy electrical toys with heating elements. Avoid buying toy guns that look like and can be mistaken for real guns. Some cap guns can injure a child's hearing.
Wet mop heads might not be cost-effective. They are great because they are thick and do pick up lead dust very well, but so do Dawn and Water and paper towels. If your window is really dirty, Dawn and Water in a spray bottle might be your best option. You want to use a motion that picks up debris and lead dust.