Congress is Trying to Get The Lead Out of Toys
Wednesday, September 12, 2007PAUL KANGAS: Congress today followed up on the summer's massive toy recalls. The Senate Appropriations subcommittee held hearings into toy safety, with a focus on problems with Chinese imports. As Stephanie Dhue reports, the nation's largest toy maker, Mattel, was in the hot seat.
STEPHANIE DHUE, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT CORRESPONDENT: In his first appearance before Congress since recalling 21 million toys, Mattel CEO Robert Eckert apologized for letting lead-laced toys into the U.S.
ROBERT ECKERT, CEO, MATTEL: On behalf of Mattel, I want to again apologize sincerely to each and every parent. I can't change the past, but I am changing how we do things.
DHUE: Eckert blamed a contractor for putting lead paint onto toys and told skeptical lawmakers the company sets standards for the factories that make their toys.
ECKERT: We make sure we enforce our own standards. That, to me, is what's important here. As an example...
SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R) KANSAS: But that didn't work.
ECKERT: If you're speaking specifically to lead paint testing, we didn't test sufficiently to catch that product.
DHUE: Lawmakers called for tougher penalties for selling dangerous goods and beefing up the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Some have proposed legislation that would give the commission the power to formally ban lead in all children's products; give the agency more money for port inspections; and to better equip and staff the agency's toy testing lab. CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord told the committee the agency's toy testing lab -- shown here in a recent photo -- is part of a 1950s style testing facility.
NANCY NORD, ACTING CHAIRMAN, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION: It is an incredibly inefficient facility. We've got a number of different buildings -- some of them, I hate to admit, do not even meet code. The CPSC's laboratory must be modernized and we've been talking to the Congress for a number of years about that.
DHUE: Subcommittee Chairman Dick Durbin says its not just resources that the CPSC needs.
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN, CHMN, APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE: There has to be an aggressive attitude at the agency about protecting families and consumers.
DHUE: The toy industry has promised to do its own safety checks. Retailers are also pushing for changes. The CEO of Toys "R" Us today called on lawmakers to set tougher standards for toy testing. Stephanie Dhue, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT, Washington.
