Mattel Recalls More Toxic Toys
Tuesday, August 14, 2007SUSIE GHARIB: For the second time this month, toy maker Mattel announced a major worldwide recall. The company said today that 18 million more of its toys made in China could contain lead paint or small magnets that pose a hazard to children. Stephanie Dhue reports.
STEPHANIE DHUE, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT CORRESPONDENT: Mattel is pulling Polly Pocket, Batman and Barbie because of small, powerful magnets that can come loose and be easily swallowed. Sarge is being removed because of lead paint. All the toys in Mattel's recall were made in China. Mattel's vice president, Bryan Stockton, says the company is stepping up its inspections.
BRYAN STOCKTON, EXECUTIVE VP INTERNATIONAL, MATTEL: We are testing every single batch of toys made, whether it's made in China or some other country, whether it's made in one of our vendors' plants, whether it's made in a Mattel plant.
DHUE: The Consumer Product Safety Commission says 78 percent of toys sold in the U.S. are manufactured in China. Companies that import goods have the legal obligation to ensure they meet U.S. safety standards. CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord wants the toy industry as a whole to ramp up product testing.
NANCY NORD, ACTING CHAIRMAN, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION: What I would like to see, at the end of the day, is a program where all toys are tested in China before they are imported into the United States.
DHUE: The CPSC is also in talks with the Chinese about safety issues with lighters, fireworks and electrical products. China is already under scrutiny for exporting unsafe tires, tainted toothpaste, seafood and pet food. Lori Wallach, who heads up Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, says it's time to stop talking and take action.
LORI WALLACH, DIRECTOR, PUBLIC CITIZEN'S GLOBAL TRADE WATCH:
There have to be changes to our trade agreements and to our domestic inspection import policies. That mean we stop dangerous products, so that producers in other countries know, if they make an unsafe product, it's not coming here and if it, there are huge financial liabilities for them.
DHUE: John Frisbee of the U.S.-China Business Council says both the U.S. and China need to take steps to reassure consumers their products are safe.
JOHN FRISBEE, PRESIDENT, U.S. CHINA BUSINESS COUNCIL: We need to make sure we take that approach that's constructive in trying to get at - as I said, the objective here, which is to maintain consumer confidence and not have this become a trade dispute, which gets us nowhere near where we want to be
DHUE: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is holding a safety summit with the Chinese next month. In the meantime, Mattel says it may have more recalls as it steps up inspections. Stephanie Dhue, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT, Washington.
