11 toxic items found in dollar stores

There was a time when “dollar store” conjured images of dusty shelves heaped with expired off-brand items, but those days are largely in the past. That said, Consumer Reports advises using care when shopping at these stores.

In the past few years, even while smart-money experts have come up with lists of things you should definitely buy there, reports from clean-environment advocates and grassroots consumer watchdog organizations have identified toxic items found in dollar stores. Here are some to watch out for—especially if you’re shopping for your kids. Their growing bodies are more susceptible to the dangers of all sorts of chemicals.