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Mattel recalls 9 million toys from China
Posted by The
Associated Press August 14, 2007 12:05PM
Categories: Breaking News
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Toy-making giant Mattel Inc. issued recalls
Tuesday for about 9 million Chinese-made toys that contain magnets
that can be swallowed by children or could have lead paint.
The recalls includes 7.3 million play sets, including Polly Pocket
dolls and Batman action figures, and 253,000 die cast cars that
contain lead paint. The action was announced on the company's
Web site and at a news conference here by the Consumer Product
Safety Commission.
Nancy A. Nord, acting CPSC chairman, said no injuries had been
reported with any of the products involved in the new recall.
Several injuries had been reported in an earlier Polly Pocket
recall last November.
"The scope of these recalls is intentionally large to prevent
any injuries from occurring," she told the news conference.
It was the latest blow to the toy industry, which has had a string
of recalled products from China. With more than 80 percent of
toys sold worldwide made in China, toy sellers are nervous that
shoppers will shy away from their products.
The recall involving lead paint was Mattel's second in two weeks.
Earlier this month, consumers were warned about 1.5 million Chinese-made
toys that contain lead paint.
"There is no excuse for lead to be found in toys entering
this country," Nord said. "It's totally unacceptable
and it needs to stop."
Toys recalled Tuesday include 253,000 "Sarge" cars,
because the surface paint could contain lead levels in excess
of federal standard. The 2 1/2-inch, 1-inch high car looks like
a military jeep.
Also recalled were 345,000 Batman and "One Piece" action
figures, 683,000 Barbie and Tanner play sets and 1 million Doggie
Day Care play sets.
In full-page ads Tuesday in The New York Times and other newspapers,
Mattel said it was "one of the most trusted names with parents"
and was "working extremely hard to address your concerns
and continue creating safe, entertaining toys for you and your
children."
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which negotiated details
of Mattel's recalls, reported that since its recall of Polly Pockets
play sets in Nov. 11, three children had been injured by swallowing
more than one magnet. All three suffered intestinal perforations
that required surgery.
If more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attach to each
other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage,
which can be fatal.
Last March, another toy company, Mega Brands Inc., recalled 3.8
million Magnetix magnetic building sets after one child died and
four others were seriously injured after swallowing tiny magnets
in them.
Two weeks ago, Mattel's Fisher-Price division announced the worldwide
recall of 1.5 million Chinese-made preschool toys featuring characters
such as Dora the Explorer, Big Bird and Elmo. About 967,000 of
those toys were sold in the United States between May and August.
Mattel discovered the latest problem while they were investigating
the earlier recall, Nord said.
Mattel officials maintained that a European retailer discovered
the lead in some of the lead-covered Fisher-Price products in
early July. On July 6, the company halted operations at the factory
in China that produced the toys and launched an investigation.
Days after the Fisher-Price recall, Chinese officials temporarily
banned the toys' manufacturer, Lee Der Industrial Co., from exporting
products. A Lee Der co-owner, Cheung Shu-hung, committed suicide
at a warehouse over the weekend, apparently by hanging himself,
a state-run newspaper reported Monday.
Lee Der was under pressure in the global controversy over the
safety of Chinese-made products, and it is common for disgraced
officials to commit suicide in China.
After Mattel announced the recall of its Fisher-Price toys, it
launched a full-scale investigation into all of its factories
in China.
Before this month, Fisher-Price and parent company Mattel had
never before recalled toys because of lead paint.
MEG'S COMMENT:
Mattel recalls 9 million toys from China
Recently, I came upon a recall from Mattel that I found of particular
interest. The product is called Polly Pocket dolls and accessories
with magnets. The importer is Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, California.
Again, I find it interesting that the company refers to itself
as the importer. Who is the manufacturer or exporter? Why is that
critical information left incomplete? The hazard inside the dolls
and accessories can fall out undetected by parents and caregivers.
The magnets can be swallowed, aspirated by young children or placed
by a child in their nose or ears. When one or more magnets are
swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal
perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal. There’s
nothing unusual about this recall. It’s much like the others except
for one startling fact. Discount department stores from May 2003
through September 2006 have been selling these items. The point
being, you may have bought Polly Pocket Dolls three years ago
and your children, without knowing, could be at risk.
Lead Post #10a - Mattel Recall - by Anonymous
How can the average parent know what is safe and what isn’t?
MEG'S COMMENT:
Mattel recalls 9 million toys from China
There isn’t a fool proof way
to buy only toys or garments that are 100% safe. However, when
we buy for family or friends we are impressed with the item and
how excited our children will become or how much our friends and
relatives appreciate their gifts. The closest any of us can come
to doing the right thing is to look carefully at what we’re buying.
Instead of being impressed with the item because of its aesthetic
quality, look for potential dangers. If you can imagine a toy
being dangerous, more than likely it will be.
Lead Post #10b - Mattel Recall
- by Anonymous
MEG'S COMMENT:
Mattel recalls 9 million toys from China
Are there any laws that protect our children
who are sent to Day Care Centers? Since reading about the millions
of toys that have been recalled, as a single mother, I have visited
my daughter’s day care center only to see potentially dangerous
toys scattered from one side of the room to the other. When I
asked the manager about the subject, she claimed that many of
the items are donated by parents and discretion is used for those
that they buy. When I brought certain items to the attention of
the manager, I was made to feel like I had no choice except to
take my child to another day care center. Why aren’t there specific
regulations that govern what Day Care Centers can offer children?
Earlier mention was made about Mattel’s
Polly Pocket play set that has been considered dangerous since
2003. I don’t have an answer to this but I have a provocative
question for all to consider. Remember, Day Care Centers are not
in the business to stay on top of toy recalls. They buy those
toys that they believe children will enjoy. If they bought toys
3 or 4 years ago, do you actually believe they are going to toss
the toys that appear dangerous? If they did, they would be buying
new toys and throwing dangerous toys in the dumpster. What are
the possibilities of that happening?
I don’t mean to change the subject buy
I am a widow whose only baby is my 2 cats and 2 dogs. My situation
might sound odd but it is true and worth telling everyone that
wants to listen. As I said, I am a widow who has a fair share
of ailments for which I take medication. Medication comes in bottles
that are childproof but not pet proof. The positive reaction of
medicine to a human being could be very different that the reaction
that same medication might have on an animal. Accidentally, I
left a bottle of pills on a table which was within reach of one
of my dogs. Fortunately, I was able to stop him just in time.
Within a matter of seconds he would have cracked the plastic bottle
and eaten the pills. They happened to be sleeping pills. I don’t
even want to think about what would have happened if I didn’t
catch him in time. I suppose the moral to the story is keep medicine
bottles far out of the reach of children and animals.
I’d like to add to the last posting since
many of us have don’t have children but instead, have pets that
we have come to love as much as anyone could love a child. I had
a very unfortunate event occur recently where I lost one of my
pets as well as a neighbor who I thought was a friend. My beautiful
Golden Retriever’s life was cut short because he swallowed a glove.
The glove lodged itself in my dog’s intestines and by the time
I got him to the hospital, it was too late. My baby had died and
a piece of me died with him. I cried for days until one day when
my friend came to visit and saw me crying. She thought something
traumatic had occurred and when I told her what had happened she
responded with, “Oh, I thought it was something serious”. To a
pet lover, the loss of a pet is no different than the loss of
a child. Mourning is a large part of the process. We too go into
a state of denial. When I told my friend that she was insensitive
she told me I was getting old and was losing my mind. After exchanging
words, I realized that she was not my friend. My real friend was
put to sleep and I long for him everyday. He was my friend, companion
and a large part of my life. I would hope that all the hype over
toy recalls doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look at what we’re buying
for our pets.
That’s a great point. I bought my puppy a warm jacket that she
wears when I take her on walks. When I began hearing about the
toy recalls, magnets, buttons that could easily come loose, I
realized that my puppies jacket may have been warm but the real
appeal to the jacket came from items that she could have swallowed
since they were easily detached. I guess the answer to recalls
and the dangers of buying things from China, is that we use common
sense before we make a purchase. It doesn’t take much to look
beyond the beauty of an item. Look at it from the point of functionality
and the potential danger that items can posses.
Just to go back to toys for a moment, has
there been a more popular toy in recent years than Batman? Well,
Mattel, the importer of Batman™ and One Piece™ Magnetic Action
Figure sets Due to Magnets Coming Loose has recalled approximately
345,000 items. The product just so happened to be manufactured
in China and has been available at Discount department stores
and toy stores nationwide from June 2006 through June 2007. Could
we have bought them for the Holidays in 2006? Why are we being
told now?
MEG'S COMMENT:
Mattel recalls 9 million toys from China
I’ll go out on a limb by saying this but
I’m sure I’ll be right more than not. Jewelry has become one of
the hottest items on the market for the last 2 years. Children
love dressing up like mom. One of the items that have reached
an all time high is jewelry for children. Unfortunately, if you
aren’t at least suspicious of metal jewelry possessing lead, you
are being negligent.
A product imported by Greenbrier International, Inc of Chesapeake,
Va. Called Beary Cute Expressions, and Sassy & Chic Children’s
Metal Jewelry has recalled approximately 198,000 units. These
items can be found at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express,
Greenbacks and Only $1 stores nationwide from December 2005 through
July 2007 for $1.
Recently, I began to wonder about stores
where you can buy anything for $1. How can that be? Well, without
any sophistic knowledge of what contained lead and what didn’t,
I came to my own conclusion that anything that costs $1 or less
has to have something dangerous in its final production. It’s
tempting to do all your shopping at $1 stores but remember that
old saying, “Buyer Beware”.
The health effects of lead posion and all the
recent toy recalls .(Pg 1) (Pg
2) (Pg 3) (Pg
4) (Pg 5)
I care about
you Dealing with Depression
Depression only know by those who suffer from depression. Talk
to others who either suffer from or have been cured of depression.
.(Pg 1) (Pg
2) (Pg 3) (Pg
4)
