SPRINGFIELD -- You check the recall lists every week.  You pull every toy that's on it.  But a KY3 News investigation finds your children are still at risk of lead poisoning.  With the help of the nation's leading lead expert, our investigation shows all those recalls have only scratched the surface -- and don't come close to protecting kids from lead-tainted toys.

  Bill Radosevich is kind of like the Grinch who stole Christmas.  Of course, it's only to keep kids safe from lead.

  Radosevich works for Thermo Fisher Scientific.  He traveled from Minnesota to test levels of lead in toys in Springfield.

  “I've probably tested more toys than anyone the country,” he said.

  On a recent day, he had to tell Tonya Gomez that she should take away her daughter's favorite tea set because the lead content is 160,000 parts per million.  The industry standard used by most toy stores is 30 to 40 parts per million.

  “My 4-year-old uses the tea set all the time and drinks out them constantly,” said Gomez.

   After just an hour at Gomez's house, Radosevich found many items with elevated levels of lead.  And none of them are on the long list of recalled toys.

  “That's very disheartening, knowing my children play with and put these things in their mouths,” said Gomez.

  Gomez thought recalls would protect her children.  But lead is much more common than most people probably think.

  We visited four thrift stores and bought bags of toys, none of which are on the recall list.  We tested them all and found toy after toy with elevated levels of lead.  In fact, more than 18 percent of the toys that we tested had dangerous levels.

  A toy flute has lead.  A yellow bowling pin has lead.  The tires on a horse stable have lead.  A piano has 1,500 parts per million of lead. A stethoscope has 4,600 parts per million, that's 150 times the industry standard.  And a Slinky has 14,000 parts per million, 450 times what most toy manufacturers consider acceptable.

  'I've found pieces that were 50 percent lead,” said Radosevich.

  And it's not just toys that could poison your children.  A cup for little kids, which is designed to be put in a child’s mouth, has lead in it.  Decorations, clothing and backpacks also have lead.  So does jewelry, which is supposed to be regulated.

  Among all these toxic toys, there is some good news for parents.  Radosevich says this Christmas will probably be the safest one ever.

  “The lesson to parents is we need to make sure they put pressure on the toy manufacturers, regulatory agencies and politicians to make sure toys are manufactured safe,” said Radosevich.
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  To help keep children's toy boxes safe, KY3 is holding a free lead-testing event.  This Monday, people can come to KY3, 999 W. Sunshine St. in Springfield, from 5 - 8 p.m.  Each person in line can have up to five toys tested for lead for free by a professional.  We’ll have two testers on duty.