Simple math
Aug 2nd, 2007 at 2:07 pm by Dr. S
Outsourcing + tax cuts that lead to fewer inspectors at our ports + a massive trade deficit + foreign borrowing to keep our economy artificially afloat until just after a certain asshole moves back to Texas = this.
Mattel Inc. is recalling 1.5 million Chinese-made toys worldwide because their paint may contain too much lead — the latest in a deluge of product safety scares that have tainted the “made in China” brand.
The recalled toys made for Mattel’s Fisher-Price unit include popular preschool characters like Elmo and Big Bird along with dozens of other items.
Does anybody know of a reliable source of non-toxic, non-tainted, non-poisonous — you know, safe — children’s toys?
sure - make ‘em yourself.
If you have an issue with Fisher-Price aka Mattel profiting at the health risk of innocent children please feel free to contact the C.E.O.of Fisher-Price. His name is Neil Friedman and he can be reached at 716-687-3000.
Lead Paint Spurs Massive Toy Recall…
Fisher-Price is recalling 83 types of toys ” including the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego ch…
Like Maya said, you could always resort to homemade toys. Sure they’re not all that complex and you might get stuck with little more than colored wooden blocks & toy logs… but at least they’ll be lead free
I’m just trying to imagine the poor parents having to pry Elmo from their babies’ arms…
Way to traumatize kids, product safety inspectors!
I agree with most of what you’ve said, but how would inspectors at the ports have made any difference? They would not have been testing for this sort of problem.
We need them for other reasons - but this isn’t one of them.
your local craft shows and arts fests and things like that usually have someone who makes wooden toys…ikea also has wooden toys i dont think they are made in china you’d have to check
they have stuff like blocks and trucks and airplanes and trains etc mostly “boyish” type toys but hey its an alternative
Most of our painted toys are hand me downs from older kids (family, neighbors). So far, the only major recall we’ve been subject to so far was the Veggie Booty one.
The reason I think having enough port inspectors is important is because it sends the message that we take ensuring the safety of imported products seriously.
I refer you to http://susiemadrak.com/2007/06/03/18/48/feeling-safer-yet-84/ The following passage was the basis of my thinking.
“So where are we today? There are 13 million food imports this year, with FDA able to inspect only about 1 percent. The system is so weak that many FDA professionals fear the word is out in the international community you can send virtually anything, of any quality, regardless of risk, to the United States, because no one’s looking.”
If the world knows we’re not inspecting food, it sure as shit knows we aren’t looking twice at toys.
Organic everything!