Illinois has tough laws when it comes to dangerous toys, and now Fisher-Price has found itself on the wrong side of the Illinois Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, according to Consumer Reports.
lead
Recalls Are A Headache For Toy Drive Organizers
By 12.3.07
Toy drive organizers are recruiting extra volunteers to help them “throw away” recalled toys, says USAToday.
By 12.3.07
../../../..//2007/12/03/an-amusing-animation-depicting-the/
An amusing animation depicting the CPSC’s epic failures through song and dance, brought to you by Consumers Union, makers of Consumer Reports. Unfortunately, neither the Chinese Poison Train nor Snively Whiplash made an appearance. [NotInMyCart]
Consumer Testing Spurs Toy Recalls
By 12.2.07
The Times brings us the story of vigilant consumers who successfully drove regulatory agencies to yank dangerous toys from store shelves. We have argued, along with the CPSC, that consumer testing is an utter waste of time, but consumers who are willing to bring their suspicious toys to a professional lab are able to have a surprising impact.
Total Number Of Products Recalled For Lead In 2007 Reaches 16.2 Million
By 11.30.07
While Aquadots grabbed all the news this month, 1,391,800 products were recalled for lead contamination. Most of them were cheap toy jewelry, cars, and action figures. The sort of stuff you see at “dollar stores.”
By 11.30.07
../../../..//2007/11/30/recalls-designware-confetti-bursts-lead/
RECALLS: DesignWare Confetti Bursts (lead) (How do you even get lead on confetti? Easy. Lead-based paint) Sweetwater Valley Farms Sharp and Mild Cheddar (Listeria).
Only 22% Of American Importers Of Chinese Goods Have Reviewed Their Supply Chain
By 11.30.07
A survey of global manufacturers found that only 22% have reviewed their supply chain in light of the Mattel lead toy recall situation. Of that number, 1/3 said they would change how they go about evaluating suppliers. 30% said they were sending quality inspectors to overseas plants. Most of the executives said their greatest fear in doing business with China wasn’t defective products, but that the Chinese would make knockoffs of their wares.
The First Lead Related Holiday Ornament Recall Of The Season Is Here!
By 11.28.07
The first retailer to be mentioned in a holiday ornament recall this year is JC Penney! The ornament in question was sold at “various retailers nationwide, including JC Penney catalog and Web site, from July 2006 through October 2007 for between $15 and $18.”
By 11.28.07
../../../..//2007/11/28/recalls-dicks-sporting-goods-lazy/
Recalls: Dick’s Sporting Goods Lazy Loungers and Recliners (collapsing), Chintzy Reeves International horse ornaments (lead).
30% Of Dinner Plates Contain Lead
By 11.21.07
A PDF containing the results and brands tested is available here.
China Will Not Be Banned From Exporting Toys To EU
By 11.21.07
Here’s something everyone can be thankful for—the Chinese, Europeans, and tangentially everyone in America and the rest of the world who have spent the better part of last year dodging lead bullets from the factory nation. The European Union’s consumer chief has said that China has made “quantum leaps” in improving its safety protocols, and will therefore not face a ban in the EU.
Beware Lead-Laden Christmas Decorations
By 11.15.07
Consumers are getting a shock as they stock up on holiday supplies: it’s not just Christmas cheer they’re spreading, but lead. The back of many decorations are sporting this label:
Dinner Plates On Walmart Shelves Contain Lead
By 11.14.07
What are you feeding your children tonight? How about a hearty helping of lead? KUTV did a followup on their report yesterday about lead in dinner plates. Their investigative reporter bought more plates from Walmart. After heating them to 85 degrees, the plates leached out lead at .381 parts per million. The plates were made in China. The government says that anything below 2.0 is acceptable. But unlike a toy where you’re mainly just coming in skin contact with the toy, with a plate, the lead is actually seeping into the food and you’re eating it.
Baby Poisoned By Lead-Tainted Walmart Plates
By 11.14.07
A Utah child developed painful constipation after it was discovered that her family was using lead-tainted plates sold by Walmart. Investigators found the plates had lead levels of 11. Utah considers anything about 1 “unacceptable.”
By 11.9.07
../../../..//2007/11/09/babies-r-us-wendy-bellissimo/
Babies R Us Wendy Bellissimo Collection Convertible Cribs (entrapment, strangulation), Dollar Store Children’s Fashion Sunglasses (lead), Coby Electronics spheroid DVD/CD/MP3 Players (fire), Honda HRX217KHXA and HRX217KHMA Lawn Mowers (fire), Yamaha AC Power Adaptors used with keyboards and digital drum sets (shock).
By 11.8.07
../../../..//2007/11/08/aquadots-contain-chemical-that-turns/
AquaDots (contain chemical that turns into date rape drug GHB after you eat it), Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTAC) and Heat Pumps (PTHP) (fire), “Robot 2000” collectible tin robot (lead), Dizzy Ducks Music Box (lead), Winnie-the-Pooh Spinning Top (lead), Duck Family Collectible Wind-Up Toy (lead), Dollar Store Super Wheels (lead), Dragster and Funny Car toy (lead), Northern Tool & Equipment “Big Red” Wagons (lead).
Amazon Pulls Fisher-Price Medical Kit After CR Lead Report
By 11.6.07
Mike Antonucci from the Mercury News tells us that Amazon.com has pulled the lead-tainted Fisher-Price Medical Kit from its website after fielding questions about a Consumer Reports investigation that found “troubling” levels of lead in the blood pressure cuff.
CPSC Chair Rebuffs Calls For Resignation
By 11.1.07
Despite Democrats clamoring for her resignation, CPSC chair Nancy Nord says she’s staying put. Nord is a shill-bag. She couldn’t answer direct questions from Congress. She couldn’t even say “yes” when they asked her if the CPSC needed more money. Toss all the bums out and get some new ones in quick.
