From China to Warwick, toys get attention
Warwick After toy-giant Mattel recalled approximately 9 million Chinese-made toys last week for excessive lead paint and small magnets, parents and consumers are left to wonder how such a thing could happen. It is certainly not the first time. Earlier in August, Fisher-Price, whose parent company is Mattel, recalled nearly one million toddler toys that were made with lead paint. Last November, 2.4 million Polly Pocket toy sets, also made by Mattel, were recalled. This latest recall has nearly 19 million toys recalled, including 7.3 million Polly Pockets for small magnets which can cause harm if swallowed, and “Sarge,” a toy car made popular by the Disney/Pixar movie, Cars. Millions of Sarge’ cars were painted with lead-based paint. Lead paint and small magnets can certainly lead to harm, especially in smaller children who tend to mouth their toys. According to the National Safety Council, children under the age of six are especially vulnerable to the health effects of lead because their brains and central nervous systems are still being formed. Even very low levels of exposure can result in reduced IQ, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, behavioral problems, stunted growth, impaired hearing, and kidney damage. At high levels, the results can be devastating-- mental retardation, coma, and even death. You want to buy safe’ Maxine Meyer, director of the Warwick Day Care Center, has seen thousands of children come through her doors over the 16 years she has been there. She said the center has strict controls on toys and stays up to date on recalls and hazards constantly. ”We have been very fortunate,” said Meyer. “None of our toys have been recalled. We buy out of commercial catalogues and we don’t have anything with small parts. “ They do accept donations though. To that, Meyer said, the center has a nurse on staff who keeps up on recall information. ”We have a nurse on staff who goes through all of our toys,” said Meyer. “She keeps up to date on all recall information. Any donated toys are evaluated for safety, cleaned, and sterilized before being used.” On a personal note, Meyer has three grown children and is awaiting the birth of her first grandchild. ”Even going shopping, it makes you nervous,” she said. “You want to buy safe things for your children. It is scary.” Who loses with this greed?’ Michael Newhard, owner of Newhard’s, The Home Source on Main Street, is both the father of a young child and a business owner as well as mayor. His store has one of the most interesting toy sections around. Newhard doesn’t sell any big name toys, so his business was not affected by the recall. ”Lots of toys we have are made in Europe,” said Newhard. “Many of them are hand made. They are not made for the mass market. That’s part of what you pay extra for.” There is a bigger question surrounding all of this: What is the real cost of cheap labor and less-restrictive environmental controls in China? Last year, contaminated pet food produced with components from China was recalled after many dogs fell ill and even died. Lately, there have been fears of contaminated toothpaste from China and defective tires. Several toy recalls have occurred in the past few years because of serious issues such as the latestlead paint. While consumers are looking for cheaper products, American manufacturers continue to look for profits. That leads them to China. Eighty percent of all toys are produced in China. And, while not all contain lead paint and small, dangerous parts, those companies looking to sell cheaper products will have to find a cheaper production process. To many of them, China is the answer. ”We have sort of given over quality control to mass production,” said Newhard. “It is not totally our (consumers’) fault. It is producers, too, who are getting greedy. Profit is really the bottom line here. Manufacturers are putting jobs and factories overseas. Who loses with this greed? The American public does because of health issues and jobs.” For more information on the toy recall, and for a complete list of toys, go to www.mattel.com/safety.