NATIONAL NEWS
August 3, 2007
Hazardous Toys?
A major toy company is pulling more than a million of its products off of shelves worldwide
Parents are wondering which toys are safe for their kids after Mattel Inc., the world's largest toymaker, announced a global recall of 1.5 million of its Fisher-Price brand toys this week. The paint on the plastic preschool toys was found to contain too much lead. Lead is a metal that can be harmful to humans, and especially to the health of children.
 |  KEVIN WOLF—AP PHOTO Mattel Inc. recalled more than one million toys this week, including Birthday Dora (bottom) and Prince Diego (top). |
The recall involves 83 types of toys made in China. Included are toys based on popular characters like Big Bird, Elmo and Dora the Explorer. Nearly one million of the toys had been sold in the United States since May. Some countries in Asia and Europe have also taken the affected toys off of store shelves.
Mattel's top boss, Robert A. Eckert, apologized on Thursday to customers who had bought the toxic toys. "Our goal is to correct this problem, improve our systems, and maintain the trust of the families that have allowed us to be part of their lives by acting responsibly and quickly to address their concerns," Eckert said in a statement.
The company said it was not aware of any other lead paint problems with its toys, but could not guarantee that other issues would not arise. The toy giant also said it was looking over the procedures of all its partners in China. Other toy companies are making sure their products are safe as well.
Made in ChinaThe latest recall comes during a time of heightened concern over the safety of Chinese-made products. A wave of products with ties to China has been recalled in the past few months, including tainted pet food, contaminated toothpaste, and faulty tires. Eighty percent of toys are made in China.
Wendy Schneider-Fisher, of New Albany, Ohio, says the recall has made her more hesitant to buy Chinese-made products. "I'm going to pay much more attention to what I'm giving my children," she said.
