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Click on the title to view complete news story regarding lead paint in toys, symptoms of lead poisoning and additional information on specific toys being recalled.

7/8/09 Safety Commission Recalls 4 Million Baby Floats
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday that Aqua-Leisure Industries would recall about 4 million floating baby pool toys that pose a drowning risk.

The floats, which were made in China, were sold at Target, Toys "R" Us, Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Kmart, Walgreens, Ace Hardware and Bed Bath & Beyond from December 2002 to June 2009. They cost between $8 and $15. more.

7/03/09 The bad goods from China Recalls abound—and makers get away with it
Chinese manufacturers made more than half of the goods the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled last year, but few of them paid any price for producing defective wares.

That's clear from another part of the CPSC's list of recalls. It cites 2008 makers of faulty and sometimes deadly products that the agency deemed defective years ago but are still being shipped here. They included breakable toys on which infants can choke, lead toys, toys painted in appetizing lead-based colors and cribs whose slats are far enough apart to trap babies' heads.

Roughly 40 percent of imported U.S. consumer goods are from China. Their recall rate is much higher than 40 percent, however. In 2007, the CPSC named Chinese makers in 69 percent of all recalls, of both imported and domestically produced goods. In 2008, China's share was 53 percent. more

6/25/09 OKK Trading To Pay $665,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Federal Lead Paint Ban and Other Child Safety Rules

...the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that OKK Trading, of Commerce, Calif., has agreed to pay a $665,000 civil penalty (PDF) for failing to comply with a 30-year old ban on lead paint on toys, as well as violating other federal child safety standards.

The penalty settlement also resolves CPSC staff allegations that OKK Trading knowingly imported and sold toys, games, rattles, pacifiers, and art materials that violated the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. more.

11/7/2008 Just in Time for Christmas
Well, the stores haven't even finished stocking the shelves with Christmas merchandise and the lead exposure recalls have begun. This time its jewelry from Claire's, toy tv's and musical xylophones. (...) Claire's is recalling a children's necklace called Best Friends Yin Yang Necklaces Sets.(...) OKK Trading is recalling a "Mini-televisor" toy, a battery operated plastic toy with a microphone. The toy is painted with a coating containing excess lead.(...) The last one is a small toy xylophone that also has excess lead in the coating. It was sold in several dollars stores throughout Texas. more

11/5/2008 Despite Federal Lead Standards, More Lead Toy Recall
Lead poisoning is considered by many to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Yet despite the existence of federal lead standards, lead tainted toys are still being sold in American stores, as evidence by two toy recalls announced today.

Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. more

10/24/2008 Health Canada recalls pacifiers, toys for toxic lead content
OTTAWA - Thousands of toys have been pulled off store shelves after independent tests showed they may contain toxic levels of lead. Independent tests revealed the products, including mini hockey sticks, pewter charms and even baby pacifiers, contain high levels of the deadly chemical. In followup tests, Health Canada found five products named in the report contained lead, prompting the recall.

The recalled products include: . Mini Hockey Sticks . CTG Kool Charmz . Charm Craft Kits . Make it Special Pewter Charms . My Baby Brand Pacifiers. more

8/08/08 Fake Cars toys recalled after lead scare
A counterfeit pack of plastic toys based on Disney’s Cars film have been withdrawn from the market by their distributor after it has been found that the toys contain high levels of lead and chromium. The toys failed to comply with the Toys Directive and the relevant European standard EN71. Cars was a huge box office smash and has spurred a raft of licensed merchandise based on the film. The pack of six toys containing the dangerous chemicals were fakes, however, created in China by an unknown brand. more.

8/08/08 Children's stuffed toys recalled by Daiso
The recalled toys are crème colored stuffed dogs with black eyes and nose. Some of the toys have brown spots on the back. A tag attached to the toy is written in Japanese language with UPC codes: 4947678264166 and 4947678246063. more

7/12/2008 Children's toy recall due to lead
STATEWIDE -- We have several children's jewelry product recalls to pass along to you, all due to excessive amounts of lead. The Children's Charm Craft Kits "Super Dooper Charms" and "Shoelace Charms" brands, sold nationally by major retailers, are being recalled. The kits were sold between July 2007 and April 2008. more.

7/10/2008 Recalls: Boat beds with toy chests
LaJolla Boat Bed and Pirates of the Caribbean twin trundle beds.
The lid supports on the toy chests fail to prevent the lid from closing too quickly, posing an entrapment and strangulation hazard to young children. more.

5/22/2008 Tinker Bell Wands Recalled
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of Tinker Bell Wands, due to excessive lead paint. The toy wands, imported from China by Hoop Retail Stores LLC of Secaucus, N.J., include paint on the pearl beads in the flowers of the wand that violates federal standards for lead content, the commission said in a statement. The wands, which light up and produce sounds, are decorated at one end with white flowers, a green bow and a pin featuring Tinker Bell's face. more.

5/22/2008 Disney Store Recalls Imports
Toy Investments recalled about 300 Floppy Friends Horse Toys due to violation of the Lead Paint Standard. The toys were sold at hobby stores, gas stations, gift shops and toy stores nationwide from Feb 2008 through April 2008 for about $4.00. The toys were made in China. more.

5/21/2008 Little Rider Toys Recalled for Lead Paint
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Wednesday announced a voluntary recall of Cowboy on a Horse Little Rider Toys, due to excessive lead paint. The battery-operated toys, featuring a cowboy riding a horse, are about 8.5 inches tall and 7.5 inches long. The rider, sitting on a brown horse, is wearing blue pants and a red shirt. The toys, made in China, were imported by Master Toys and Novelties Inc., of Los Angles, Calif. more.

2/18/2008 War on Plastic Toys Escalates
"PVC toxic toys often contain dangerous chemicals such as phthalates and lead. "These toxic chemicals have no place in our children's toys and should be eliminated from store shelves everywhere they are currently sold so that no potential harm comes to any child who might otherwise come into contact with them. We call on Toys "R"Us to take the next step by setting clear benchmarks and timeframes for phasing out toxic PVC toys in order to prevent harm to our children's health," he said. more.

2/19/2008 Toxic Toys: Playing safely
The fact is, manufacturers and distributors in China have done much to earn our distrust. We've seen evidence of willful -- rather than accidental -- acts of deception, such as labeling dog food as a nonfood item to avoid inspection. Even when U.S. inspectors are involved, such as the current heparin case (a blood thinner linked to four deaths in the U.S.), we can't be sure that things will go right. According to The Associated Press, inspectors checked out the wrong factory in China. Time will tell if the long arm of our state's law can reach all the way to China and make manufacturers there respect our regulations. more.

2/20/2008 Trustworthy toys
NEW YORK -- Last year's toy recalls have sparked interest in simple toys that send environmentally friendly messages.
Robert von Goeben founded Green Toys early last year with hopes of creating popular, eco-friendly toys. "These are classic toys that people buy all the time, just with green materials," Mr. von Goeben said. more.

2/20/2008 More Toys Being Recalled
New recalls are from toys sold from 2005 to 2007. The U.S. Consumer Product Saftey Council is now saying they are unsafe and you need to take them away from your children. The first is the Spiderman Water Bottle. About 7,000 are being recalled from Sears stores around the country. more

2/20/2008 Product Safety Leader Warns Toy Industry
EW YORK (AP) — The acting chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission lashed out Monday at the toy industry for a lack of safety controls that led to a string of highly publicized recalls, and she warned that the industry is obligated to regulate itself. "I will not tolerate this industry ... not complying with our regulations," Nancy Nord said in an address at the annual American International Toy Fair expo, whose four-day run ends Wednesday. more

11/09/2007 LI's independent retailers unfazed by toy recalls
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 4.2 million units of the popular craft set Aqua Dots, after two children who had swallowed the toys' beads vomited and fell into a comatose state for several days... The agency also recalled more than 400,000 toys contaminated with lead paint. A majority - 380,000 Pull-Back Action Toy Cars - were sold at Dollar General stores, the agency said. more

11/09/2007 Toy Recalls Revive Industry Worries
Tuesday, Mattel Inc. recalled 155,000 toys marketed under Fisher-Price's Laugh & Learn brand after pieces of the play kitchen's faucet were found to pose a choking risk to children. Wednesday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled roughly four million arts and crafts toys called Aqua Dots because several children in the U.S. and Australia were hospitalized after swallowing some of the toy's beads. Yesterday, an additional 175,000 Curious George plush dolls made by Marvel Toys were recalled because of lead on the toys' plastic faces. more

10/29/2007 Report: Toxic Lead in Toys More Widespread Than Thought
Over several months, more than 20 million toys have been recalled, mostly for dangerous amounts of lead. New research shows the toxic substance is more widespread than previously thought – and present in popular Halloween toys.
Researchers in Ohio found that so-called ugly teeth are potentially dangerous. Lead levels in the painted plastic are more than 100 times what is allowed. High lead levels were also present in Halloween treat pails and Frankenstein cups.
Such findings increase parents' concern after Fisher Price, Mattel and other manufacturers recalled millions of toys for having excessive lead levels. more.

10/29/2007 Toys recalled for lead contamination concerns
Another recall has been issued because of unsafe lead levels. This time, it's a Fisher Price "Go Diego, Go" animal rescue boat. Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Fisher-Price in order to receive a free replacement toy. Consumers need to return the recalled toys to Fisher-Price. more.

10/20/2007 Wal-Mart Recalls Toy Animals for Lead
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is recalling toy animals made in China because of excessive lead levels discovered since it stepped up safety testing in August, the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer said Friday.

In a news release, the nation's largest retailer and largest toy seller described the recalled items as sets of realistic-looking farm animals, jungle animals and dinosaurs. The toys are sold in loose sets in cellophane-type bags without a brand name. Wal-Mart said independent testing revealed excessive levels of lead in the material the toys are made of. more

10/17/2007 Guidecraft Inc.Tabletop Puppet Theaters recall
Guidecraft Inc. Recalls Children?s Puppet Theaters Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard. Surface paints on the puppet theater's wooden panels contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. Manufactured in China, consumers should immediately take the recalled puppet theaters away from children and contact Guidecraft to receive a replacement theater or another product of equal value. more

10/15/2007 Calif. bans a chemical found in plastic toys
California has banned a chemical that's found in many plastic toys and baby products. Studies have shown that the chemical phthalate has been linked to early puberty, reproduction defects and other health problems. more

10/15/2007 Mattel Toys and Lead Paint Testing: Acceptable Levels?
Southgate, MI: Tammy Burbo had Lillian, her six-year-old daughter, tested for lead after learning about lead paint in Mattel toys and the subsequent Mattel recall. The results were high enough to concern her pediatrician and high enough to make Tammy worried about Lillian's future overall health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) says there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. more

10/10/2007 US company halts Curious George toy shipments over lead concerns
A U.S. toy company said it has halted shipments of its Chinese-made Curious George products to retailers and would issue a recall if testing confirms a nonprofit's charges that the items contain illegally high amounts of lead. The Center for Environmental Health sent Marvel Enterprises Inc. a legal notice Wednesday alleging that it had purchased a Curious George doll that contained 10 times the legal maximum of lead at a Toys "R" Us. more

10/10/2007 Starbucks recalls China-made mugs
Starbucks, the coffee shop chain, has become the latest US company to issue a voluntary recall of China-made products because of child safety concerns. Following in the heels of Mattel and Hasbro, the largest US toymakers, the Seattle-based coffee company is recalling a quarter of a million plastic children's mugs sold at its stores between May 2006 and August this year. The mugs have moulded plastic animal faces representing a ladybird, a turtle, a bunny and a chick and have a plastic top. more


10/04/07 Disney recalls Baby Einstein toy blocks due to lead
Walt Disney Co. recalled about 35,000 Baby Einstein toy blocks made in China because they are contaminated with lead paint. Baby Einstein Discover & Play Color Blocks contain blue paint with excessive lead, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said today in a statement. more

10/04/07 Lead paint found on Halloween toys
High levels of lead were found in three Halloween toys made in China and bought at northern Ohio dollar stores, a chemistry professor who tested the products at the urging of a U.S. senator said Wednesday.

The toys, a cup molded like Frankenstein's head and two trick-or-treat candy buckets, all contained paint with more lead than the federal limit of 0.06 percent lead content, said Ashland University professor Jeffrey Weidenhamer, who randomly selected the products. The Frankenstein cup contained a lead level of 3.9 percent, more than 65 times higher than the acceptable level, he said. more

9/27/07 China-made kid's jewelry, toys recalled
By CHRISTINE SIMMONS
Toys and children's necklaces made in China were recalled Wednesday, including five more items from the popular Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway product line, because they contain dangerous levels of lead RC2 Corp.'s "Knights of the Sword" series toys and some of its Thomas and Friends items, along with floor puppet theaters and gardening tools and chairs for children, were among the more than 601,000 toys and children's jewelry announced in the recall by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. more

9/21/2007 Mattel apology to China over toy recall
The world's largest toy maker, Mattel, has apologised for damaging China's reputation after recent massive recalls of its Chinese-made toys. Mattel admitted today that in the majority of cases, flaws in its own designs were responsible for high levels of lead paint and loose magnets which prompted safety scares. Mattel has come under scrutiny following the recall of about 21 million of the toys in a span of five weeks. more

9/20/2007 Parents Shun mass-market toys following lead scare
Earthtimes.org
Los Angeles - Six-year old Abigail Whitney used to have an entire closet full of toys. Now she makes do with wooden blocks, rag dolls and jigsaw puzzles. In fact, if it weren't for the computer games she's allowed to play for a few hours every week, Abigail's toy chest might look exactly like the one her grandmother might have played with some 50 years ago. It's all because of the lead paint toy scare that is worrying millions of parents in the United States, and sending a shiver of dread through the toy industry, just as the holiday season should be swinging into top gear.
Toy giant Mattel has been forced to recall over 2 million suspect toys in the US in recent weeks after it discovered that some of the Made in China playthings contained lead paint. Around the world some 18 million toys have been recalled, according to lawyer Jeff Killino, who is pressing a class action lawsuit against the El Segundo, California-based company. more

9/20/2007 Protect Kids from Toxic Chemicals
LATimes.com
By Harvey Karp and Rachel Gibson September 20, 2007
Rubber duckies are great -- unless they're the kind that are loaded with chemicals called phthalates. These softening agents can make up 50% of the plastic in toys children love to stick in their mouths. The trouble is, these unhealthy chemicals don't stay in the toy's plastic. They get chewed and sucked right out, just like the flavoring of bubble gum.

The vast majority of chemicals used in consumer products have never been tested for their effects on human health. In criminal courts, suspects are innocent until proved guilty. When it comes to protecting our children, a reverse standard should apply: Chemicals should be guilty until proved innocent. And when it comes to phthalates, innocence is far from established.

Phthalates are a family of chemicals that are put into plastic products -- including toys, teething rings and rattles -- to make them soft and pliable. Yet phthalates pose a particular health risk to infants and young children. Kids' curiosity makes them put everything in their mouths -- virtually guaranteeing exposure to phthalates -- but their bodies are less able to detoxify themselves. And as their organs develop, they pass through windows of vulnerability when even tiny doses of these toxic chemicals can have extra-harmful effects.more

9/16/2007Dangerous toys: Parents may want to test:
Most parents shuddered at the news over the past few months that millions of toys thought to be tainted with lead and other toxic metals had been recalled. The latest came Sept. 4, when Mattel recalled about 800,000 toys, including 675,000 accessories for Barbie dolls.
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Symptoms of lead poisoning include irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness, abdominal pain, vomiting and constipation. Metal magnets are just as dangerous, in a different way. Tiny magnets have become common in toys, helping children to dress little dolls and build structures. When these magnets fall off a toy, small children might put them in their mouths. If several are swallowed, the tiny magnets are strong enough to twist little intestines into a knot. If you suspect this has happened, take your child to the hospital immediately.
Vicki Lee Parker is a business reporter and financial columnist for The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. She can be reached at vparkernewsobserver.com. more

9/12/2007 US lawmakers vow tighter laws on Chinese-made toys: WASHINGTON (AFP) — US lawmakers vowed Wednesday to enact stricter legislation to prevent potentially dangerous Chinese-made toys from being sold in America, as leading toy firms said safety checks were being boosted.
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Mattel has recalled hundreds of thousands of Barbie and Fisher Price branded toys over lead paint fears and 18 million Polly Pocket play sets with loose magnets. In June a US importer was forced to recall 1.5 million "Thomas and Friends" wooden toy trains because they were finished with lead paint. Chinese made car tire and toothpaste recalls have also unsettled consumer groups. Of more than 86 million items made in or containing parts that originated in China, which were recalled in the United States over the past two years, nearly 26 million, or 30 percent, were children's toys, according to an AFP count. China produces most of the world's toys and operates around 20,000 toy-making plants, according to some estimates. more