What do you all feel about the solution for the lead based paint in childrens' toys problem as I heard it stated this morning:

No toys containing lead based paint will be shipped to the USA.

Does this scare anyone else as a weasel statement meaning that hazardous toys will be sent to any other country (every other country) until the supplier/country is forced to stop producing toys containing hazardous materials?

It sure does seem like a weasel statement...

It's like saying, "no more parts with that defect will be shipped to Steelmaiden's company".

certainly doesn't address the root cause.

Exactly, Dis, why is it okay to kill children from one country but not another? Sheesh, maybe a few more managers need to kill themselves for stinkin' thinkin' like that.

I think its simply due to the fact that it is impossible to impose laws on other countries or unions. We have many EU directives that talk about doing this or not doing that when supplying member states (EU countries) - that is not to imply that the EU doesnt care about the rest of the world, simply that it can only excercise jurisdiction within its own boundaries. I am sure the same is true for the above example.

Obviously an ethical producer would not use leaded paint on childrens toys full stop.

Ironic that as of right now, while this thread is open, another thread is open discussing common sense. One of the points made there was common sense goes out the window when money is involved. That also seems to apply to this whole "lead paint on toys" issue.

Has anyone seen any hard numbers over how much lead was found? As a former industrial hygienist, I feel strongly that the dose makes the poison.

Also has anyone done a real risk assessment on the lead paint on these particular toys?

I find it interesting that the media never reported that some lead is allowed even in the U.S.

Edit:
News article link with emphasis added as well as the ISO standard.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7zc9eAtkfeQZl_nWVvesqlZKd_g
"China requires the lead release should be kept under 90 mg per kilogram, which is in line with the international standard (ISO8124-3) and the European standard (EN 71-3). But the United States adds an extra standard to limit the lead content to 600 mg per kilogram, the administration said."

Document Details
ISO 8124-3:1997
Safety of toys -- Part 3: Migration of certain elements
This part of ISO 8124 specifies maximum acceptable levels and methods of sampling and extraction prior to analysis for the migration of the elements antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury and selenium from toy materials and from parts of toys, except materials not accessible (see ISO 8124-1).
==========================================
Title 16--Commercial Practices
CHAPTER II--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
PART 1303--BAN OF LEAD-CONTAINING PAINT AND CERTAIN CONSUMER PRODUCTS BEARING LEAD-CONTAINING PAINT

(2) Lead-containing paint means paint or other similar surface
coating materials containing lead or lead compounds and in which the
lead content (calculated as lead metal) is in excess of 0.06 percent by
weight of the total nonvolatile content of the paint or the weight of
the dried paint film.

Exactly, Dis, why is it okay to kill children from one country but not another? Sheesh, maybe a few more managers need to kill themselves for stinkin' thinkin' like that.

I agree that they are not adressing the root cause of the problem. What are the requirements for these other countries do they allow the use of lead based paints, if so then there is no problem to address, if not then they will have to push back.

I really don't believe the report that the manager killed himself.

Yesterday, Mattel recalled one more toy because of the lead-based paint. (Check out the news releases on Mattel's website.) Apparently they have a three point check system to check the toys. This sounds like a nifty containment/short-term countermeasure. I just wish we knew what their long-term plan (ie: prevent recurrance) is. Maybe I'll just quit my job and do some little arts-and-crafts kids toys thing out of my home - at least that way I'd know that my kids' toys are safe!! OK, that won't happen, I'm about as uncreative as it gets.

My husband got really crabby when I complained that I couldn't find an e-mail address to send Mattel a CAR for the recalls.

Does anyone know what Mattel is doing about all this? I'd like to see something a little more pro-active and long-term. Even I know that you can't inspect good quality into a product.

Yesterday, Mattel recalled one more toy because of the lead-based paint. (Check out the news releases on Mattel's website.) Apparently they have a three point check system to check the toys. This sounds like a nifty containment/short-term countermeasure. I just wish we knew what their long-term plan (ie: prevent recurrance) is. Maybe I'll just quit my job and do some little arts-and-crafts kids toys thing out of my home - at least that way I'd know that my kids' toys are safe!! OK, that won't happen, I'm about as uncreative as it gets.

My husband got really crabby when I complained that I couldn't find an e-mail address to send Mattel a CAR for the recalls.

Does anyone know what Mattel is doing about all this? I'd like to see something a little more pro-active and long-term. Even I know that you can't inspect good quality into a product.

Mattel's responses.........

From: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mattel said that the this recall together with the one announced last week would cost the company $30 million (£15 million).

Mattel’s chief executive Robert Eckert said: “The safety of children is our primary concern, and we are deeply apologetic to everyone affected.

“Mattel has rigorous procedures, and we will continue to be vigilant and unforgiving in enforcing quality and safety.”

There have been no reported injuries as a result of the manufacturing problems, a UK spokeswoman for Mattel said.

For more, including a video statement from the Chairman & CEO look here (http://www.mattel.com/safety/us/).

Stijloor.

:topic:Have you ever noticed how some organizations with web pages make it difficult to get REAL contact information for folks with suggestions or complaints?

It seems to me a web page should be similar to a display ad in a newspaper or telephone book. It should display the street address (somewhere), specialized email addresses (jobs, investments, purchases, sales, quality, engineering, safety issues, etc.) and phone numbers. The emails at the very least should have an autosponder acknowledging receipt and a projected time table when the sender could expect some sort of response from a human being.

Sometimes, the web pages make people jump through hoops by requesting personal data which may not be readily available before the person can even send a message or register a complaint.

I recall once driving up to the corner to use a public phone to call the phone company to report my own home phone was out of order (to avoid running up hours on my cell phone while on hold.) After I was on hold for an hour, the storekeeper chased me out because he wanted to close his store.

I drove another mile to a 24 hour service station to try again. When I finally got through, the idiot on the service desk (after hearing my tale of woe about using pay phones) said, "Well, will you check to make sure the phone is plugged in or that the problem is not in your phone versus in our wires? I'll wait."

Marc does not allow me to quote my verbatim response!

It took me two days to finally arrange for a repair (a lineman had inadvertently shorted a wire to my line while working on another customer's wires.)

My husband got really crabby when I complained that I couldn't find an e-mail address to send Mattel a CAR for the recalls.


Have you ever noticed how some organizations with web pages make it difficult to get REAL contact information for folks with suggestions or complaints?

It seems to me a web page should be similar to a display ad in a newspaper or telephone book. It should display the street address (somewhere), specialized email addresses (jobs, investments, purchases, sales, quality, engineering, safety issues, etc.) and phone numbers.

I realize that Wes's comment was meant to apply to corporate websites in general, and I agree that some (many?) lack easy (or any) access to contact information, but Mattel's site ain't one of them. On the front page (http://www.mattel.com/index.asp?f=false) of the Mattel website there is the usual "Contact us" link, which, if clicked, leads to a page (http://www.mattel.com/contact_us/default.asp) with street addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and investor contact information.

Silly me! I was trying to keep a 2 year old from drawing on the mouse and a 1 year old from banging on the keyboard at the same time. I probably clicked my way right past that page! I'm going to check it out (after bedtime) tonight if I get a chance. Thanks!!

an interesting article on China

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1776

I got a call this weekend who is on a long term vacation in China.
He has recently secured a position of quality manager for a euopean firm importing a wide range of products sourced throughout China.

His knowledge of quality is limited, verified by a terrible performance in a quality assurance exam run by City & Guilds in the UK.

Was offered the job after getting into a conversation in an ex-pats bar

Wallen,

EXCELLENT article. Thanks!