Answers.Body: <p>The most important thing is to make you keep any swallowable magnet out of reach.</p>
  
  <p>This is potentially lethal if two magnets are swallowed and attrach each other from different part of the intestine, as unfortunately <a href="http://www.usrecallnews.com/2007/01/swallowed-magnets-stick-together-in-childs-intestines.html">did happen to a kid</a> a few years back with some other toy. That's why LEGO has completely redesigned train magnets to be completely encased in the buffers, which are a way too big element to swallow.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-31T21:10:02.100Z
Answers.Text: You can put the magnets out of the buffer and swallow them... Seems not to work.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Sibbo
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-31T21:27:22.000Z
Answers.Text: Hm okay, my trains are about 5 years old...
Answers.UserDisplayName: Sibbo
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-01T07:23:29.947Z
Answers.Text: @Sibbo: Joe is right, [magnets are fully embedded in buffers now](http://media.peeron.com/pics/inv/custpics/64415c01.1240282679.jpg), that's what I was talking about.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-31T20:09:00.723Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2011-10-31T20:09:00.723Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.Body: <p>The LEGO group <a href="http://service.lego.com/en-us/product-recalls/information-about-product-recalls" rel="nofollow noreferrer">pride themselves on their low product recall rate</a>, which I believe generally only effects parts that break too easily or similar - often this is related to Primo or DUPLO components that are aimed at very young children.</p>
  
  <p>I'm not aware of a recall due to the chosen materials - as noted in <a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/145/why-are-old-lego-bricks-more-brittle-than-new-ones">this question</a> the LEGO Group switched to their current material (ABS) in 1963, however the exact composition may vary from modern bricks.</p>
  
  <p>It probably wouldn't hurt to take a look at the <a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/124/lego-cleaning-techniques-and-tools/">advice for cleaning the bricks</a> in warm, dilute soapy water or with a mild bleach.</p>
  
  <p>Certainly any effects would have to be low level and based on long term exposure, as my kids haven't shown any adverse effects to using my collection from the late 70's onwards.</p>
  
  <p>Just one further point of note: The original rubber bands from the Technic sets are prone to deterioration - so watch out for them giving way.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-31T20:04:14.333Z
Answers.Text: The hole in the stud of heads is actually going away now.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-31T18:51:10.850Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-02-26T10:47:02.097Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-04-13T12:47:56.390Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.Body: <p>A health risk with old, well used hand me down bricks is the possibility of broken pieces and foreign objects like staples, glass shards, old batteries, (loose magnets!) and stuff being mixed in with the elements. It's always a good idea to check through them before you hand them over to the next generation of builders.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-11T05:28:13.390Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2011-11-11T05:28:13.390Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Major Stackings
Answers.Body: <p>Nothing really worse than the newer kits, quite frankly. </p>
  
  <p>Below 3 years old, they tend to explore what the world has to offer by putting small bricks in their tiny noses. for these reasons, an adult need to be there <strong><em>all the time</em></strong> brick toys are in use. If the bricks happen to be the adult`s toy, rigorously stowing them away when not playing is in order.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-01T08:46:52.013Z
Answers.Text: Indeed, there's a reason LEGO sets carry a "not suitable for children under 36 months" warning. All kids are different though and if they're still inserting things at 4 then adjust accordingly ;)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-01T01:22:58.513Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2011-11-01T01:22:58.513Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: jfyelle
Answers.Body: <p>Old bricks might just be plain dirty. If your LEGO sets have been collecting dust on a shelve for twenty years, you might want to clean them off first. </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-09T12:11:42.530Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-08-29T09:36:58.863Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2012-08-29T09:36:58.863Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Philippe
Body: <p>I have a hoard of LEGO kits that passed from me to my nephew, and now to my son. Some of the kits that are included with the set date back to the early 1970's. Are there any health risks with passing the older kits down to my son? Have there ever been recalls or warnings published about the chemical make-up of older bricks? </p>
  
Tags: <safety>
Title: Are there any health concerns with letting children use old LEGO kits?
UserDisplayName: bakoyaro
ThreadText: # Are there any health concerns with letting children use old LEGO kits?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2011-10-31)
  
  I have a hoard of LEGO kits that passed from me to my nephew, and now to my son. Some of the kits that are included with the set date back to the early 1970's. Are there any health risks with passing the older kits down to my son? Have there ever been recalls or warnings published about the chemical make-up of older bricks?
  
  **Tags:** safety
  
  ---
  
  ## 5 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2011-10-31. Score: 10
  
  The most important thing is to make you keep any swallowable magnet out of reach.
  
  This is potentially lethal if two magnets are swallowed and attrach each other from different part of the intestine, as unfortunately [did happen to a kid](http://www.usrecallnews.com/2007/01/swallowed-magnets-stick-together-in-childs-intestines.html) a few years back with some other toy. That's why LEGO has completely redesigned train magnets to be completely encased in the buffers, which are a way too big element to swallow.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: You can put the magnets out of the buffer and swallow them... Seems not to work.  
  > **username_2**: Hm okay, my trains are about 5 years old...  
  > **username_1**: @Sibbo: Joe is right, [magnets are fully embedded in buffers now](http://media.peeron.com/pics/inv/custpics/64415c01.1240282679.jpg), that's what I was talking about.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2011-10-31. Score: 8
  
  The LEGO group [pride themselves on their low product recall rate](http://service.lego.com/en-us/product-recalls/information-about-product-recalls), which I believe generally only effects parts that break too easily or similar - often this is related to Primo or DUPLO components that are aimed at very young children.
  
  I'm not aware of a recall due to the chosen materials - as noted in [this question](https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/145/why-are-old-lego-bricks-more-brittle-than-new-ones) the LEGO Group switched to their current material (ABS) in 1963, however the exact composition may vary from modern bricks.
  
  It probably wouldn't hurt to take a look at the [advice for cleaning the bricks](https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/124/lego-cleaning-techniques-and-tools/) in warm, dilute soapy water or with a mild bleach.
  
  Certainly any effects would have to be low level and based on long term exposure, as my kids haven't shown any adverse effects to using my collection from the late 70's onwards.
  
  Just one further point of note: The original rubber bands from the Technic sets are prone to deterioration - so watch out for them giving way.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: The hole in the stud of heads is actually going away now.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2011-11-11. Score: 7
  
  A health risk with old, well used hand me down bricks is the possibility of broken pieces and foreign objects like staples, glass shards, old batteries, (loose magnets!) and stuff being mixed in with the elements. It's always a good idea to check through them before you hand them over to the next generation of builders.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2011-11-01. Score: 5
  
  Nothing really worse than the newer kits, quite frankly.
  
  Below 3 years old, they tend to explore what the world has to offer by putting small bricks in their tiny noses. for these reasons, an adult need to be there ***all the time*** brick toys are in use. If the bricks happen to be the adult`s toy, rigorously stowing them away when not playing is in order.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Indeed, there's a reason LEGO sets carry a "not suitable for children under 36 months" warning. All kids are different though and if they're still inserting things at 4 then adjust accordingly ;)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2011-11-09. Score: 3
  
  Old bricks might just be plain dirty. If your LEGO sets have been collecting dust on a shelve for twenty years, you might want to clean them off first.
  
  
  ---
  
  