Is it safe to keep matchbox & hot wheel cars with lead in them?

Question

I am 57 years old & have an HO train set [had HO + N scales for years], & I use matchbox & hot wheel cars & trucks & buses for my layout. My neighbor told me that she read somewhere were most are made of lead & can the paint can peal & get in the air & make you sick, is this really true or not? Also my dad got me some cars that say HO on the package, they are a little smaller then the matchbox & hot wheels. But a 3 types work with my HO train set, i tested them with the people, I told my dad the cars he got me are smaller & thought they were N gauge, but I tried them &  they are too big. So I told my dad & he told me to keep the match box & hot wheels as people & cars/trucks/buses are all different. 

Thanks & happy holidays!

JetDoc · Accepted Answer

Lead paint is not safe for little kids because they put things in their mouths and if the paint is peeling or flaking off, they may swallow it.  I doubt that using Matchbox cars on a model train display would cause any sort of health hazard.

Anonymous · Answer

This same question was asked on TV several months ago and the experts stated that they can only be dangerous "IF" !!!!

1. They are played will 24 hours a day - 7 days a week.

2. They have paint peeling off them and you eat the paint.

3. They do recommend that you wash your hands after handling them anyway.

4. Don't let small children play with them.

5. Don't get rid of them, they are very valuable.

StephenWeinstein · Answer

Pealing lead paint is mainly a problem when either (a) children eat it or put it in their mouths or noses, or (b) someone tries to remove it by a method such as sanding, which gets a lot of it into the air quickly.  Simply having it around adults (who will not eat it or put it in their mouths or noses), without trying to sand it or do anything else that would make it airborne quickly, is not really as much of a health issue.

Anonymous · Answer

I would just wash my hands when I was finished touching them.
Lead oxide is bad but even if they are lead, nothing should go airborne from them.
Aren't they zinc die castings anyway?

"The early toys were issued around 1949 - early 50's and made up until the start of the Korean war when an embargo was placed on zinc for all items not deemed ..."

? · Answer

My fatherand i collect hotwheels and had been for several years. The value of hotwheels is quite excessive exceptionally for the the ones that got here out within the late '60s match box cars have excellent value but only the so much older ones. It's a disgrace that they got rid of those on account that they would be worth a fortune correct now.

Aaron Davis · Answer

You are never too old to play with toys, it might just be a hobby. How many people still play video games? Some people also like keeping busy instead of wasting time doing nothing, so again might be just a hobby of his.

Harry · Answer

bob your 57 and playing with trains, you had a good life, live a little!

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Is it safe to keep matchbox & hot wheel cars with lead in them?

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