2009 "Trouble in Toyland" US report

You can download the 2009 report about toys safety here :

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/USP-toy-report-2009.pdf?tag=contentMain;contentBody

MATTEL fined $2.3 mln for lead-tainted toys from China

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has fined MATTEL Inc $2.3 million for violating a ban on bringing dangerous products into the United States.  

The fine stems from the toymaker's 2007 recall of 95 types of toys and up to 2 million units, primarily for excessive lead in paint, including the "Sarge" toy car and Barbie brand accessories. 

A 1978 law bans toys and other children's articles that have more than 0.06 percent lead by weight in coatings. 

Source: Reuters

USA : Obama to nominate new chairman and commissioner to the CPSC

President Obama today announced that he intends to nominate Inez Moore Tenenbaum as chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Robert S. Adler as a new commissioner of the agency. Both nominations need Senate approval. The President also announced his intention to increase the agency's budget by 71 percent (over fiscal year 2007 levels) to $107 million.

Disney recalls 'Handy Manny' tool sets

Disney Stores USA, Pasadena, Calif., is recalling 20,000 units of its made in China Playhouse Disney “Handy Manny” Toy Tool Sets that contain eyes that can separate, posing a choking hazard to young children. There have been three reports of detached eyes, including two reports of children who started to choke on the pieces. No injuries have been reported.

Despite the CPSC recall notice dated Feb 19th , many international eBay websites suchwere still selling these auctions Disney toys, with some auctions originating after the recall.

It seems eBay is not reading the CPSC recall notices.

More importantly, it seems even Disney did not look into these then-fraudulous auctions where they could click on the eBay button to signal that this item is forbidden (which is possible on the european eBay sites), so that eBay can immediatly stop the corresponding auctions.  

The recalled toy UPC-barcodes #405144100614 or #422147400633 can be located on the product’s packaging. Because the recall is concerning "only" 20000 pcs, it might be that the other toys on sale might not be from the same shipment, but who knows the UPC-barcodes fof the toys auctions originating after the recall ?

USA : Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

On February 10, 2009, the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act became effective, which means the following changes to the current regulation :

	Test Method: CPSC-CH-E1003-09 – Standard Operating Procedure for Determining Lead (Pb) in Paint and Other Similar Surface Coatings, April 26, 2009 [PDF]
	Stay of Enforcement of the Lead Content Limits for Certain Youth Motorized Recreational Vehicles, April 28, 2009 [PDF]
	Record of Commission Action – Request from ATV Companies for Exclusion from Lead Content Limits under Section 101(b)(1) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) [PDF]

USA : CPSC Nancy Nord National Press Club Speech - Jan 8, 2008

Acting U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairwoman Nancy A. Nord chats with Robert Carden of the Speakers Committee who organized the January 7 CPSC luncheon.

While at the podium, Nord said, “… China has pledged to increase pre-export inspections, crack down on repeat violators of U.S. safety standards and undertake a number of other initiatives to increase compliance with both mandatory and consensus standards.” She added, “But this is not just a China problem. Who orders all these toys and toasters that are bound for the United States? U.S. companies do. And they have the responsibility not only to demand that the products they order meet U.S. safety standards, but to test to make sure that they do before they go on sale for consumers.”

As Nord recalled, “Last year was marked by intense media scrutiny at the agency and of toy recalls in particular. …In fact the coverage reached near hysteria levels. And then, of course, some politicians, sensing a possible political issue, jumped on the bandwagon–further fueling the coverage—and the cycle continued.”

When President-elect Sylvia Smith presented Nord with the coveted NPC mug, Smith brought the house down when she asked. “Has this been tested for lead?” After the Luncheon, former NPC President Gil Klein told the Record that “the NPC mugs used to be made in China, but now they are made in the USA.”

Photos & Texts by John Metelsky
Source : National Press Club Blog

NORD : Retailers requested to take part of the product safety responsabilities

Nancy Nord and Bob Eckert, Mattel CEO, listening

Nancy Nord, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission said she will require retailers to make sure that products they sell are tested and certified for safety because they, along with manufacturers, bear the legal responsibility for the safety of products they sell.

Until now, the agency "has focused on product manufacturers, and not an awful lot of attention to retailers and making sure that retailers understood their responsibility. But with the big-box retailers coming in, that focus has changed," she said.

Congress approved an additional $80 million for the agency to add more resources for additional safety staff by the agency.

SOURCE : The Wall Street Journal

FOOD PLAY : Do you prefer eating stones or sweets ?

The European regulation prevents toy makers to sell toys imitating food so well that kids would be eating them. Sadly, there is no such specific regulation in the US yet to prevent toy makers imitating food products and therefore, US kids will keep eating.... toys !

But let's take a specific extreme example. I was visiting the New York Museum of Natural History yesterday, and I came accross two different items sold by the shop that really looked alike.
The first one was a collection of real (polished) stones to encourage kids to get some interest for geology and collecting stones. Many stones were on display, freely, for children to play with.
The second item were sweets and candies imitating... stones !

Sold by two different company, the New York Museum of Natural History figured out it would be a good idea to sell both items in the same place.
I have bought both items and placed the "candy stones" on the "real polished stones", and the result is that... you can't see the difference (see photo).

Question :
How many kids will break their teeth trying to eat real stones while thinking they are putting a sweet in their mouth ?

Where you can't see the difference, food imitations is a very bad idea for the toy industry...

USA : George W. Bush product safety report

Président Bush ordered & received this week a detailled report about product safety import issues, with many recommandations.

The full report can be downloaded here:
http://www.importsafety.gov/report/actionplan.pdf