Lead Paint on Children’s Toys? Are You Kidding Me?
June 19th, 2007 by Maria EvansThe Chinese are really pushing it this year with their lax safety standards. So far in 2007, tainted Chinese wheat gluten has killed our pets, threatened our livestock, and raised fears about the safety of the human food supply. Then, tainted Chinese toothpaste showed up on our shelves with nifty names like “Dr Cool.”
Look! It’s Thomas and Annie and Claribel, coming all the way from China to make your kid sick.
Now, in an article from the New York Times, we find out that “every one” of the 24 types of toys recalled in the USA this year came from China.
The latest recall, announced last week, involves 1.5 million Thomas & Friends trains and rail components — about 4 percent of all those sold in the United States over the last two years by RC2 Corporation of Oak Brook, Ill. The toys were coated at a factory in China with lead paint, which can damage brain cells, especially in children.
Other toys recalled included a “fake eyeball” filled with kerosene. Yes, KEROSENE. It makes me cringe.
Hey, I love saving a buck, but if it means brain damage, kidney failure or death, I’m more than willing to shell out the extra money to buy products from countries that give a damn.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:42 am
You would think that American corporations that import from China or elsewhere would have their own quality control standards before subjecting the American public to these hazards. But no, it’s the bottom line that counts, nothing else, in the minds of these corporate leaders.
I hope they get sued and corporate leaders are punished for their wrong doings and negligence.
At least it appears that some government agency is doing something right, as per the recalls mentioned. There can be no such a thing as a completely free market — oversight is always required, which is one necessary function of government, like it or not!
June 19th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
That’s a very good point, Perry…one would think/hope that while companies may outsource their product or buy from countries allowing for a better profit margin they would remain mindful of, if not quality then certainly safety standards. It would seem a company which has endured 24 recalls in a year isn’t paying attention and it’s not as if, in this particular case of the lead paint, it’s a newly discovered hazard.
August 15th, 2007 at 12:19 am
Everyone is blaming chinese toy manufacturer now. but don’t forget who designed these toys. No doulbt the big bird and whole lot other toys were designed by american toy company, because these characters were not known by chinese at all. The chinese toy manufaturers are only subcontractors who manufacture those toy to client’s requirement. The magnets on some toys were absolutely design fault! but still the chinese got the blame.
The chinese toy manufacturer can’t defend themself in this english speaking world. They are the volnerable one. Can people be fair and stop blame chinese for everything and anything?
The big coporation has shown no moral on these matters. They refuse to look into themselfs instead just play blaming game. It seems the only thing the big coporation do is to rip the benefit. they has not and may will not put any resauces on quality control.
The bosses of those big coporation shall be jailed.
August 15th, 2007 at 8:30 am
It’s perfectly “fair” to blame Chinese toy manufacturers for coating toys in lead paint. I doubt Mattel designs toys covered in lead paint. And I will certainly blame them for toxic ingredients in food products. And China can jail or execute anyone they want, but it’s not really cleaning up their products, is it? Um, not so far. And do I have to even go into their horrifying human rights violations?
This is the health of our children at stake. Buy American!
August 16th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
The recalled prodects date back to 2002. This demonstrated how good the Mattel quality control system is.
August 17th, 2007 at 7:49 am
george, who doesn’t know that lead paint it bad for kids? It wasn’t Mattel slathering the toys in that toxin.
August 18th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
“It wasn’t Mattel slathering the toys in that toxin.” ==> Maria Evans
Sure, but Mattel sold the toys under their label, therefore they are obviously responsible to their customers. Why are you defending them?
Maria, I have had experience and responsibility in an incoming and outgoing quality control function for a large corporation. Therefore, I strongly say that Mattel has been negligent and bears major responsibility in this case of lead based paint on children’s toys. My company assumed this responsibility, always.
To their credit Mattel is cooperating with the recall; but did they really have a choice.
I’m not the only one holding Mattel negligent and responsible: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/primenewswire/125152.htm
August 19th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
If Mattel didn’t specify the lead limit in paint has to be below 6 ppm, they are accountable. In fact i think that might be where the problem start.
March 21st, 2008 at 4:56 am
[...] for China by shipping our manufacturing jobs over there so they can turn around and sell us toxic toys and dentures and pet [...]