It seems mind-boggling in this day and age, after all we have heard about lead paint, that a manufacturer anywhere in the world would use it on a child’s toy. In my work, I have known children who needed to be hospitalized because of going into a coma from lead poisoning. I have also seen first-hand the long-term effects of lead poisoning on the mental health, development and education of many children. This is a sad example of why we need better international product standards and oversight. From the New York Times:
Mattel, the maker of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars, is recalling nearly one million toys in the United States today because the products are covered in lead paint.
According to Mattel, all the toys were made by a contract manufacturer in China.
The recall, the second biggest this year involving toys, covers 83 products made from April 19 to July 6. Many of them feature Sesame Street and Nickelodeon characters — including the Elmo Tub Sub, the Dora the Explorer Backpack, and the Giggle Gabber, a toy shaped like Elmo or Cookie Monster that toddlers shake to hear giggles and funny noises.
Mattel says it prevented more than two-thirds of the 967,000 affected toys from reaching consumers by stopping the products in its distribution centers and contacting retailers, like Wal-Mart, Target and Toys ‘R’ Us, late last week. But more than 300,000 of the tainted toys have been bought by consumers in the United States. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the toys may have a date code from 109-7LF to 187-7LF on the product or packaging.
A full list of the toys being recalled is available here.
Kmareka.com 
Kiersten,
I just wanted to let you know that the US Chamber also tried to put their “Leopard” ad on my blog and I rejected it. It is absolutely gross and I would urge you to remove it.
Thanks, Matt. I have taken a closer look at the ad an agree that it is not in keeping with our content.
That line between profit and greed seems to be getting ever more narrow. This latest example of “toxic toys” from China is particualrly griesome goven the horrid effects of lead poisoning in children and adults. Where business and this seemingly mindless Republican administration sees the marketplace dictating the destruction of American manufacturing, the consumer sees cheap products, yes, but also toxic toys, toxic food, toxic animal feed and a host of other disaster now and in the future. China is an enormous growwing market, attractive to business interests, and a source of endless and very cheap labor, also attractive to business. But China is and remains a land of exploitation, and a labor-human rights swamp, where the dignity of one individual in a land of 1.5 billion individuals can have little meaning. Similarly, the ecological impact of 1.5 billion people, in a nation where the environment is to be used and if necessary, abused, is truly frightening. One recalls the edict by Mao to increase grain harvest yields by destroying birds, since he thought birds ate too much grain. The result, of course was explosions in insect populations, since birds also eat insects. the answer to the hoards of insects devouring the crops was the wholesale use of “pesticides” and the impact of this on the land, water, air and people was even more horrid.
Thsu it should come as no surprise that lead is found in Chines made toys. The profits that American toy manufacturers earned from cheap Chinese labor will now be spent hiring lawyers to defend themselves against the gathering storm of lawsuits from angered parents and possibly poisoned children. The toy lawyers will be standing behind the poisoned pet layers, and who knows how many other “poison” lawyers living off the greed of manufacturers who took their factories and jobs to China.
That line between profit and greed gets ever more narrow.
I need a list of ALL toys recalled. My daughters birthday is in less than a week I needs to know what toys NOT to buy.
Thanks
Elisha,
Please click on the red text in the article, which takes you to the New York Times. The article provides links to three sources for the full list of toys. Thank you for being such a vigilant parent.
Does not government fail us all when it cannot protect the least of us from harm, whether that harm is agression, or the importation of an endless stream of potentially toxic products. The American corporate rush to deindustialize the United States and replace American skilled labor with Chinese labor costing far less, has come full circle. One would hope that thise “admirals of industry” will now pay and pay for the harm that they have caused. It is amazing that parents need to consult a list of toys to protect their children and it is depressing that the government sworn to protect us all, has failed so miserably.
Well, if the gov’t isn’t going to disclose the vaccines that use Mercury in their children’s vacciines. They know mercury mimicks lead and that it is a neurotoxin, but. They have known about the toxins going into children for years…it’s disgusting because this has been going on for years and years….I have no faith, I feel like we are playing Russian roulette with our kids.
With Mr Wolberg, I truly hope the “admirals of industry” will pay dearly for unleashing toxic toys on our children.
But they won’t. No one will. Our system is too corrupt.
“It’s government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations.”
Rutherford B Hayes, 19th President of the US.