Fisher-Price toy recall

[Miulang]

The nationwide recall (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003816696_webrecall01.html) by Fisher-Price involves popular toys from the Elmo, Dora the Explorer and Diego, and Big Bird toy lines sold since May. The plastic toys, manufactured in China, are being recalled due to harmful levels of lead in the paint.

Here is the list of 83 toys (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003817016_webrecalllist01.html)that are affected by the recall.

Miulang

[LikaNui]

Oh my GAWD!!! I had no idea!
Oh.
Wait.
Actually, I did know about it already. Interestingly, our news outlets here in Hawai`i actually do carry news.
Move along. Nothing to see here.

:rolleyes:

[helen]

I am wondering after all these years why do companies have lead in their paint?

[GeckoGeek]

My guess is that it's either cheaper or gives the paint some nice properties.

Another case of not checking on those Chinese imports.

[Altivec]

I saw the recall notifications in our managers office at Safeway.

[greentara]

I saw the recall notifications in our managers office at Safeway.

I'm wondering about these products that are, "Made in China", are they manufactured there and not labeled as such. For instance were these toys labeled "Made in China"? They were made by major/trusted toy manufactures. All of these issues of products being made in China with out the restrictions we have here is really creeping me :eek: out and definitely making me think twice about buying products that are labeled "Made in China". That would probably include half of Target by my experiences. :rolleyes:

[Miulang]

I'm wondering about these products that are, "Made in China", are they manufactured there and not labeled as such. For instance were these toys labeled "Made in China"? They were made by major/trusted toy manufactures. All of these issues of products being made in China with out the restrictions we have here is really creeping me :eek: out and definitely making me think twice about buying products that are labeled "Made in China". That would probably include half of Target by my experiences. :rolleyes:

It'd be pretty hard to find any toys NOT made in China these days. Some stories I've read reported that 80% of all toys sold in this country originated in China. Most toy companies subcontract out the manufacture to local Chinese companies, but some American companies own their own factories over there, where labor costs are way less than in this country.

This most recent recall is the most problemmatical of all recent toy recalls because the company involved is Mattel, and their reputation up to this point has been sterling. What's also interesting is that the newsstories don't indicate whether Mattel changed vendors (usually the case) or if the vendor they've been using all along changed its processes to make more money off Mattel that caused the problem, because the recall only involves those toys sold between May and August of this year. And Mattel's own QC processes and the Consumer Product Safety Commission were able to keep about 2/3 of the tainted toys off the market before they were sold.

Miulang

[GeckoGeek]

Yes, China did a shrewed move. If I remember correctly, the deal was if you wanted to sell goods in China, they had to be made in China. But you could make in China and export. 1/4 of the earth's population is just too big a market share for any corporation to ignore. And the cheap labor and other favorable things make manufacturing in China very attractive. You can see the results.

[Miulang]

In the second recall notice (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/14/AR2007081400341.html?hpid=topnews)within the last month, Mattel announced that it is recalling 9 million more of its labeled products, including some from the Batman and Barbie lines.

About 80 percent of the toys bought in the United States and about 65 percent of those sold by Mattel are made in China, according to the Toy Industry Association and the company. About 60 percent of all product recalls this year have been for goods manufactured in China, the safety commission said.

Lead has been a particular problem. The agency has issued 18 recall notices for 6.7 million pieces of jewelry for children this year because of dangerous levels of lead, and nearly all of them were from China. There were 10 lead-related recalls in 2006, according to the agency.

Other recalled products covered under the announcement today include 683,000 Barbie and Tanner play sets, 345,000 Batman and One Piece action figure sets, and 1 million Doggie Day Care play sets. They also contain small magnets.



Miulang

[Lalalinder]

you can tell it's mattel, it's swell.

[LikaNui]

In the second recall notice within the last month, Mattel announced that it is recalling 9 million more of its labeled products, including some from the Batman and Barbie lines. Okay, HT readers. I'm curious. Do any of you here in Hawai`i give a rat's a** about the recall of freakin' Barbie dolls when we're within hours of getting attacked by a hurricane???
:mad:

[craigwatanabe]

Okay, HT readers. I'm curious. Do any of you here in Hawai`i give a rat's a** about the recall of freakin' Barbie dolls when we're within hours of getting attacked by a hurricane???
:mad:

Hey you never know...a defective Barbie doll can be a lethal weapon when hurled at Hurricane speeds at a plate glass window! At least if they're recalled, that's one less projectile to worry about:D

[Miulang]

A hurricane is a one-time occurrence. Lead poisoning (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lead.htm)and the havoc it can wreak on a growing child's brain and body is lifelong and cumulative. That's the difference. If you don't have kids, don't worry about it.

Miulang

[craigwatanabe]

I am wondering after all these years why do companies have lead in their paint?

Lead paint is easy to work with and leaves a durable high gloss finish. When we switched from lead based paints to a water based latex paint for our gas meters (when I worked at the Gas Company), those meters that were painted with lead-based paint seemed to last for decades out in our tropical environments. Water-based latex acrylic paint seemed to fade dull after a couple of years.

Lead-based paint flows easier so when using a paint gun or just a brush, lead-based paint just went on better with less coats.

[pzarquon]

The lead paint thing makes sense. But one aspect of the latest recall amuses me. The "Polly Pocket" line of toys, they say, contains magnets that can come off and present a choking hazard. But if you've got kids with a bin of "Polly Pocket" stuff like I do, you know that the entire line is a choking hazard. I think "choking hazard" is Polly's middle name. I mean, these are dolls that stand three inches tall, with accessories. The shoes are as small as rice grains. Forget the magnets, kids can choke on Polly's convertible Mercedes!