Who knew that, much like Sid in “Toy Story,” there was a closet of toys in central Ohio that have been ripped up and dissected.
However, unlike in “Toy Story,” these toys aren’t torn apart in ill will, but instead, they are inspected for safety checks by the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance. The team receives applications from manufacturers all over the world throughout the year to sell their toys in Ohio, and these toys must first be inspected.
“When there’s a manufacturer who wants to sell a toy or a stuffed animal, they need to submit a sample first to us,” Tom Brockman, ODC’s deputy chief communications officer, said.
“Our lab can inspect it and make sure that the stuffing inside is what’s reflected on the tag, and make sure it’s safe and compliant with our various requirements.”
Rather than throw the sample toy away once the check is completed, the commerce department holds them until the end of the year. For over 30 years, the staff has come together to volunteer a lunch hour to sew the toys back together to donate to St. Stephen’s Community House in Linden.