More Toy Recalls From Chinese Manufacturers
WASHINGTON- Chinese toy manufacturers are voluntarily recalling some popular children’s toys.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of several popular toys. 250,000Spongebob Squarepants journals and address books may contain excessive levels of lead paint on the metal bindings. The wooden handles onsome Thomas& Friends and Curious George tin pails could also contain lead paint as well as several models of spinning tops.
Also recalled, thousands of pieces of jewelry, Divine Inspiration charm bracelets along withToby&Me jewelry sets.Several of theseproducts may be at the bottom of the toybox and so parents really should do an inventory on a regular basis of the products that theCPSC recalls; apractice that is becoming more common place as some Chinese toy manufacturers are failing to meet federal safety standards causing alarm.
The idea is to make sure thatwherever a product is produced, it is done safely. Also, if there is an unsafe product, to ensure it doesn’t get into our market. But these products, many made in China, are getting into our market over and over again. According to the Toy Industry Association, of the more than $22 billion dollars in toys sold in theU.S. last year, 80% came from China.
What happens often in China is thereexists a kind of ‘front door factory’ where these inspections can take place, butyet whole mazes of back factories where the conditions are quite different. These are not necessarily ‘new to the market’ toys. In fact, some of these products have been on store shelves and in homes for several years.
