Well we’re glad that’s taken care of. Wait… the Toy Industry Association is a trade group, not a federal agency! At any rate, on February 1st the Toy Industry Association, a 500-member strong group, will “release a draft of tough new safety rules, which include a plan to require manufacturers to test toys for hazardous chemicals and defective designs.” According to CNN, the group is drafting the 3-point plan with at least the awareness, if not the help, of the CPSC, and it hopes to have the plan formally certified as the CPSC’s “new standard for toy safety.”

We’re amused/annoyed by the subtle way the TIA continues to push the idea that the bad toys of 2007 aren’t the fault of U.S. manufacturers’ decisions to cut corners. Just take a look at the language in this press release (emphasis ours):

“We are developing a system that will help to assure that products entering the U.S. market meet this nation’s rigorous toy safety requirements, whether those requirements are defined in standards or regulations,” association President Carter Keithley, said in a statement.

Thanks for protecting us from China, TIA! But now who do we ask to protect us from Mattel?

“Toy safety plan to debut Feb. 1” [CNN Money]
(Photo: Getty)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.