MamaGrizzly

I forgot about the Halloween toy/costume recalls.  There is an article on FoxNews about the recalls.  Below are some important highlights from the article.  The really scarey part is the number of parts listed in the article.  How many of you parents knew about these?  I read the news regularly and found many of these a surprise. 

 The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued warnings on items such as witch and skull pails, cape costumes and pumpkin Mr. Potato Heads, saying they are unsafe for kids.

“We’ve tested 22 Halloween products, and three were found to have contained high levels of lead,”

About 142,000 purple witch buckets, manufactured by Family Dollar Stores in Charlotte, N.C., were recalled because of toxic lead levels found in the paint coating them. Also pulled were 55,000 candy-filled skull pails, made by R.L. Albert & Son of Greenwich, Conn.

Fake choppers called “Ugly Teeth” tested positive for lead too, with conflicting reports about whether the levels surpassed the limits set by the Food and Drug Administration.

How safe are you feeling about buying toys made in China?

FoxNews has another article dated October 31, 2007 - Lead-Tainted Toys Recalled.  Are you surprised?  Below is an excerpt from that article:

WASHINGTON —  Toys “R” Us recalled about 16,000 Chinese-made Elite Operations toys because of lead contamination, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Wednesday.

The military-style toys are recalled because their surface paints contain excessive levels of lead, which is toxic if ingested by young children. Under current regulations, children’s products found to have more than 0.06 percent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

This is the second recall of lead-tainted children’s products for Toys “R” Us this month. On Oct. 4, the company recalled about 15,000 Totally Me! Funky Room Decor Sets because surface paints on the back of the decorating kits’ mirrors contained high levels of lead.

But, this is just one of many  articles I found when I did a search on FoxNews of “Chinese toy recall”. 

If you’re not rethinking what you are buying for your children, you need to be!

I’m beginning to think that this is never going to end!  FoxNews has an article this morning about Winnie the Pooh Playsets being recalled.   Below is a quote from the article:

More than 90,000 children’s products, most imported by J.C. Penney Co. Inc., were recalled Thursday for containing dangerous levels of lead, a government safety group announced.

J.C. Penney recalled Chinese-made Winnie the Pooh play sets and decorative ornaments with a horse-theme, as well as art kits made in Taiwan and Vietnam. Totaling 70,400, the toys imported and sold by J.C. Penney all had excessive levels of lead in their surface paint.

Lead is toxic if ingested by young children. Under current regulations, children’s products found to have more than 0.06 percent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

Parents - if you aren’t concerned, you SHOULD be.   And you should definitely be thinking about buying toys made in the good ‘ole USA!

Well, have I got a surprise for you!  There are MORE Thomas the Train recalls being announced.  Yes… that’s right more bad products Made in China. 

You’re not surprised, are you? It’s yet ANOTHER recall in the Chinese made products problem. The following excerpt is from FoxNews

NEW YORK — Toys “R” Us has recalled 27,000 crayon and paint sets made in China because the packaging of the wooden box contains lead, as does some of the watercolor paint within, company and government officials said Thursday.

No injuries have been reported from the use of the Imaginarium Wooden Coloring Cases, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

I do hope that all of the parents out there are really taking this seriously and looking into purchasing more of their toys from US toymakers.

The toy recalls are becoming so common now that don’t even seem to be getting major headlines.  See my screen shot below of where I found this article on Fox News.  To be fair, I didn’t even find the article on the main page of CNN or MSNBC.

Teresa of TOYSMADEINAMERICA.COM stopped by and left a comment on my  blog entry titled Buy Toys MADE IN AMERICA.

This is by far the most comprehensive list I have seen.  I encourage you to stop by there for all of your toy shopping - indoors AND outdoors!

SpongeBob SquarePants Address Books are being recalled over lead fears….  Here’s an excerpt from the article:

WASHINGTON —  An Ohio importer recalled nearly 250,000 SpongeBob SquarePants address books and journals manufactured in China because the bindings might contain hazardous levels of lead paint, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.

Martin Designs Inc. notified the agency that tests of the metal spiral bindings turned up lead content above the level considered safe for children, the CPSC said. Under regulations, children’s products found to have more than .06 percent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

FoxNews has an article title Buy American: Toys Made in the USA.  In light of recent events in China, and Mattel’s attitude that they have no intention of changing their relationship with China, I will be seeking out more American made toys and products than ever before.  Here are some American toy manufacturer’s.  Let’s all do our best to support them.  Anyone have experience with any of the vendors below?

Melissa and Doug - I LOVE their products - especially their puzzles.

American Plastic Toys

Shop for America

Zebulon USA

US Made Toys

Uncle Goose Toys

Holgate Toy

Maple and Mark

Based on this article.  The headline is : Company has no plans to stop doing business in China. 

I’m in shock that Mattel doesn’t appear to be even considering any other options.  I plan to do some research and write some letters…. I’ll be back on this topic soon. 

Let’s ADD to the list of bad products from China - Report: Vinyl Baby Bibs Sold at Toys ‘R’ Us May Contain Lead appeared today on Fox News.