Forget the Hype
Rants and Raves is an opinion blog site dedicated to discussing current news and events. Issues addressed include politics, business and marketing, environmental issues, and other things that deserve a closer look, or are simply interesting. Enjoy your visit!
. You got a nice blog, I like the background. Anyways, do you mind exchanging links?
Yet another recall has been initiated due to China’s lack of product safety practices, only this time it is not just the U.S. that is affected, it is a world-wide recall, and for the second time this year, the recall involves children’s toys.
A major toy manufacturer is issuing a world-wide recall of 967,000 toys. Mattel, maker of Fisher-Price toys, says that the recall includes 83 affected toys in the U.S. and overseas. In the U.S., the toys were sold between May and August.
Mattel had contracted with a Chinese vendor to paint the toys, and the vendor used excessive levels of lead paint. Excessive levels of lead, if ingested, can lead to brain damage and learning disabilities. Mattel made statements saying that simply touching the toys, or even licking them, should not cause physical harm; however, if the paint is ingested, then parents should contact a pediatrician.
Mattel is offering vouchers and exchanges for those who have purchased the recalled toys. A list of the affected products can be found on the company’s website, or consumers can call their toll-free hotline, at: 1-800-916-4498.
I have stated in earlier posts (see June 30th and July 6th posts in archives), that a big majority of products imported from China may not be safe for our use. I base this on the string of recalls on Chinese-made products over the last year. China has to realize that if they want to continue to do business with other countries, they have to examine their manufacturing practices and come up with methods and products that are safe. They are causing themselves to have a major public relations issue.
Now, my first thought on this, would be for everyone to boycott Chinese products so that maybe they’d “knock it off.” However, we get so many of our products from China (at least here in the U.S.), that a boycott may not be feasible. Furthermore, even if products don’t state that they’re made in China, there are a lot of companies that outsource specific parts of production in China and other countries, even though they state that they are made elsewhere. This was exactly the case with the Fisher-Price recall.
Look around your house and see how many things you find that are made in China, I’m willing to bet that it’s half the stuff you own! So, the question is, what can be done? I hope that the new import safety panel (see July 18th post) will help ensure our safety here in the U.S., but I am not sure of what safeguards are in place in other countries.