By Jennifer Lance •
January 17, 2008
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The holidays are behind us, but toy safety continues to dominate parents’ concerns. There have been several recent developments parents should be aware of, as the issue of toy safety has not been resolved. Recalls continue almost daily, especially for lead paint standards violations.
Export Licences [sic] of 600 Toy Makers Revoked
China is cracking down on toy makers in an effort to save the industry. “We have thoroughly inspected all 3,000-plus toy makers for export during the rectification work that began last August,” said State Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) Deputy Director Pu Changcheng. Changcheng also blamed overseas importers for design flaws and changing standards that created the current recall situation.
Toy Makers Mount Drive to Salvage China’s Safety Reputation
The US Toy Industry Association is attempting to salvage the image of toys made in China, and the toy industry remains committed to making toys in China. They claim there is no realistic alternative to Chinese manufacturing. “Are you going to pay twice as much for a doll because it’s not made in China?” Mr. Shoptaugh, owner of Shoptaugh Games, added. “The thing is you cannot make these products in the United States and have them be competitive on the shelf.”
By Jennifer Lance •
November 29, 2007
I like to browse Ebay for unique, homemade wooden toys and Waldorf dolls. Like Etsy, artisans use Ebay to sell their handy work and reach a broader audience. Recently, recalled toys have been showing up on this online auction marketplace.
The plethora of recalled toys makes it difficult for consumers to know about every unsafe toy identified by the CPSC. During a recent search, KLTV 7 of Jacksonville, Texas found several recalled toys on Ebay. “It’s disturbing that if someone did not know that these items had been recalled that they were being resold,” said Stephanie Carlton, a concerned mother. “It’s a total lack of concern for someone else’s child.” It does make you wonder…what happens to recalled toys once they have been pulled from the shelves?
By Jennifer Lance •
November 12, 2007
Even before the recent flurry of children’s toy recalls, I questioned the effectiveness of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) when they failed to act on the presence of lead in children’s lunchboxes. The news has only gotten worse, since I wrote about it last February. Almost everyday, I receive a new email from the CPSC listing more toy recalls, mostly for lead content. How can this be? Who is protecting our youngest consumers?
In the past two months, there have been millions of toys recalled for dangerous levels of lead content, and other products that contain smaller levels of lead, such as lunchboxes, have not been recalled. In fact, doctors warn that lead levels considered safe by the CPSC still put children at risk. According to WebMD,
Lead poisoning interferes with neural development in children and developing fetuses. High levels of lead in children can cause learning and behavior problems.
By Jennifer Lance •
August 14, 2007
This time my family is affected by the recent recall by Mattel. There will be tears in our household today, as toys Grandpa bought my daughter are included on the list. The concern is powerful magnets that can be swallowed and cause major damage.
The list includes:
Barbie and Tanner - hazardous magnet
Batman - hazardous magnet
Polly Pockets - hazardous magnet
Doggie Daycare - hazardous magnet
One Piece - [...]
The recall of Thomas the Tank Engine toys, as well as other recent recalls, reminds us that our children will never be safe until children are safe globally from harmful products in their toys. A recent opinion article in the New York Times by Christian Warren speaks to this issue. “The Little Engine That Could Poison” reminds us that the important lessons to be learned from these recalls is [...]
