HABA Toys: Always Fun, Not Always Non-Toxic

The first "non-toxic" toys I bought for Nate were wooden HABA toys.  I was looking for BPA, PVC and phthalate-free toys, since those seem to be the big baddies of the toxic toy world.  As those toxins are primarily found in plastics, I looked to wooden toys.  Here is Nate playing with his HABA Triangle (one of his favorites) at six months old:

I've recently discovered Good Guide, which ranks a huge database of products based on a number of factors, including health. I've been checking Good Guide for toxin information for toys that I want to get Nate as well as toys that we already own. Many times, I'm relieved to find that plastic toys I thought might give Nate a third arm  are actually non-toxic. But other times, I find that toys that I thought were safe actually have toxins in them. 

When I checked out HABA, I was relieved to find that many of their toys score a ten out of ten for health, like another one of Nate's favorites - Moby Clutching Toy. But I was bummed to see that some of their toys contain low levels of bromine and arsenic, like the HABA Rolling Turtles I had my eye on. Even if it's low levels, I can't stomach watching Nate put an arsenic laden toy in his mouth. If he's going to ingest poison, it will be to help his teething symptoms, not for FUN.

Boo, HABA!