Mattel is blaming a potentially bankrupt cardboard box vendor for supplying 967,000 toys covered with lead paint. The toy maker publicly identified the Lee Der Industrial Company in Guangdong province in the hopes that other toy makers will take their business elsewhere. The AP tried to call Lee Der for comment, which resulted in this odd exchange:
toys
Mattel Thought They Could Outsmart The Chinese Poison Train
By 8.2.07
Two weeks before announcing the recall of nearly 1 million toys tainted with toxic lead paint, Mattel was featured in the New York Times as a role model, the “gold standard” for companies manufacturing goods in China. The Chinese Poison Train’s ability to sneak past Mattel’s fortified defenses highlights the tremendous difficulties faced by well-meaning American manufacturers trying to police their supply chains. Mattel spared no expense to ensure the safety of their products.
Toxic Lead Paint Prompts Recall of 967,000 Fisher-Price Toys
By 8.2.07
Sorry kids, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fisher-Price are recalling Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and 83 other types of fun toys that happen to be covered with toxic lead paint from China.
Radio Flyer Does Right
By 7.26.07
- “My elderly, widowed, neighbor had purchased a Radio Flyer “Retro Red” tricycle some time back which her grand children used when they visited her. The front tire and axle had been attached to the front forks with special plastic retainers. Although the tricycle looks like new, one of the plastic retainers failed and broke. The second retainer could not take the added stress and cracked badly, leaving the tricycle unable to be ridden.”
Religious Action Figures Are Coming To Walmart
By 7.24.07
Talking Jesus dolls will make their Walmart debut early next month as part of a spiffy new line of religious action figures. Walmart claims it is responding to the needs of kids who want to ditch their G.I. Joe for a Samson, and will only stock the religious toys in stores where the bible is a best-seller. Walmart has always catered to the family values crowd, but that hasn’t stopped some Christian ministers from questioning Walmart’s faith:
“They’ll carry anything that sells,” says David Croyle, president of FamilyLife, a non-denominational ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. “This simply signals intelligent buying within Wal-Mart.”
By 7.12.07
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Mother buys a $149 Fisher Price Stand N Ride Du Stroller from Toys “R” Us and opens the box at home to find it filled with $320 of Bionicle Legos. Even more comical is the store’s incompetent customer service when they try to do the right thing and return the toys. [EricCarrol]
Serious Magnet Toy Injury Prompts Another Recall
By 7.6.07
Poorly constructed toys with strong magnets are the cause of another serious injury to a child. The 8 year-old swallowed two small magnets that had broken off of “Mag Stix” a magnetic toy manufactured in China. The magnets attracted inside her body, perforating her intestines and requiring surgery.
Every Toy Recalled In The U.S. Shares The Same Label: Made In China
By 6.19.07
The New York Times is reporting that China is responsible for each and every one of the 24 toy recalls issued this year. Chinese manufactures supply up to 80% of the toys sold on the U.S. market. A new record was even set last year after the CPSC yanked 467 Chinese products off U.S. shelves.
China’s own government auditing agency reported last month that 20 percent of the toys made and sold in China had safety hazards such as small parts that could be swallowed or sharp edges that could cut a child, according to a report in China Daily. Officials in China, of course, are fighting back, insisting that its food and other exports are safe and valuable, that new regulations are being put into place and that problem goods account for a tiny portion of all exports.
We wonder if the office of some Chinese official has a framed fortune reading: You shall tell many lies today. Lucky Numbers: 24 80 467 20. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
CPSC Recalls DS-MAX-Made Toy Trucks For Choking Hazard
By 6.18.07
Neither CPSC nor DS-MAX U.S.A. Inc. is aware of any injuries with the toy trucks.
1.5 Million Thomas & Friends Toys Recalled Due To Lead Paint From China
By 6.13.07
Way to go, China! You’ve turned our “Chinese Poison Train” into something literal. Good job!
Deadly Recalled Toy Still Available At Walmart, Target, Kohl's And More
By 5.11.07
Magnetic toys that killed one boy and injured more than 2 dozen others are still available for sale in many Illinois stores according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The attorney general’s office found the recalled toys at several stores all over the state, and a Chicago Tribune reporter was able to purchase the toys Wal-Mart, Target and Big Lots stores in the northwest suburbs.
Here's A Great Idea: Non-Childproof Lighters That Look Like Toys
By 3.22.07
Reader “homer simpson” found these lighters at a Fred’s Super Dollar Store in his home state of Mississippi. The lighters are not childproof and are displayed next to the check out counter where kids can reach them. What a great idea. “homer simpson” writes:Every time i go there my 3 yr.
Fisher-Price Fined $975,000 for Failing to Report a Serious Choking Hazard With A Popular Toy
By 3.5.07
Over the next two months, Fisher-Price received nine additional reports, including one case of a child placing the nail fastener in her mouth.
Take that Bratz: Barbie is Back?
By 1.29.07
Gross sales of its Barbie line rose 3 percent domestically and worldwide during the quarter.
Don’t Eat The Marshmallows Shot By The Marshmallow Shooter
By 12.6.06
Adding to this marshmallow shooter’s retardation as a product, it contains contradictory instructions. The package boasts, “Edible Ammo!” but the warning label says, “Do not eat marshmallows after shooting.” This angers us. We’re going to YouTube ourselves smashing mallows. We’ll run that evil The Marshmallow Fun Company out of business. Just kidding, but seriously, this is dumb.— BEN POPKEN
10 Worst Toys of 2006
By 11.28.06
The W.A.T.C.H. List of the 10 worst toys of 2006 is out! This list claims to feature toys that have the potential to “cause childhood injuries, or even death.” What evil toys made the list this year? The insanely popular skate shoe “Heelys” come with the following warning, “There is no way to heel and/or grind without running the risk of SERIOUS BODILY HARM, including head injury, spinal injury, or even death” Death! Jeepers.
Toys “R” Us Suspends Black Friday Price Matching
By 11.20.06
The gimlet eyed Mouseprint blog discovered Toys R Us will not be pricematching this Black Friday.
Target Recalls 190,000 Really Gender-Specific Toys
By 11.16.06
Target is recalling a whopping 190,000 play-set type toys. “Some of these toys contain lead paint, which is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects. Also, some of the toys have sharp points, posing laceration or puncture wound hazards. The recall involves “Kool Toyz” brand toys, including sets containing die-cast cars, playground set, doll house set, dinosaurs, trucks, boats and planes. The packaging is primary blue and has the “Kool Toyz” logo is on the upper left corner of the packaging.” If you have these toys, take them away from children and bring them to Target for a full refund.
