CLEVELAND — A chemistry professor who raised an earlier warning flag about toxic lead levels in toy jewelry didn't have to look far for evidence of similar risks in Easter items such as plastic eggs.

Thirteen of 45 items purchased off store shelves and tested by Ashland University chemistry students had paint made with lead, according to Jeffrey D. Weidenhamer, who has made the toy-testing an annual spring rite for his students.

Lead, a highly toxic element, can cause severe nerve damage, especially in children.

Two years ago Weidenhamer and his students produced a low-profile study showing many common toys and trinkets, most made in China, had hazardous lead levels. The next round of testing last year got more attention as the issue of tainted Chinese products including toys, pet food and toothpaste made headlines.

"It certainly demonstrates that the problem is still there," Weidenhamer said.

The biggest lead hazards were found in Easter egg spinning tops, plastic Easter eggs that typically are filled at home with treats, bunny hair clips and chick-style sipper cups — all exceeding the government paint standard of 0.06 percent lead content.

Weidenhamer said toys with lead-based paint would pose only a small risk if the paint doesn't chip and the item is discarded before it deteriorates. Still, the risk "is not negligible because of the high toxicity of lead," he said.

The biggest lead risk to children comes from homes, usually older ones which have lead paint that can chip and be ingested, Weidenhamer said.

Congress has weighed in on the issue, passing legislation to ban lead in toys as part of a bill to reauthorize the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which handles product recalls. House and Senate versions are awaiting a conference committee to resolve differences.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, a commission critic who has kept up with the Ashland research, asked the CPSC to review the campus work. "Consumers believe the government is looking out for them," he told The Associated Press. "The government hasn't done its job."

Julie Vallese, a commission spokeswoman, said watching out for lead in toys is a priority. She said Ashland's past research, doubled-checked by the commission, has led to recalls.

LEARN MORE:

Ashland University: http://ashland.edu

Consumer Product Safety Commission: www.cpsc.gov