Abigail Richards

Fisher-Price/Mattel To Pay $2.3 Million Penalty For Lead Paint Scare



Posted: Wednesday, June 10, 2009

by Abigail Richards

Remember when we searching through kids toys box by box as endless toys were being recalled because of lead paint being used in the products.

All of our made in China toys were facing scrutiny as word was released that the Chinese factories were using paint with lead to decorate the toys.

It is official this week that Fisher-Price/Mattel has officially faced their punishment. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, Calif. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y. have agreed to pay a $2.3 million civil penalty for violating the federal lead paint ban.

" These highly publicized toy recalls helped spur Congressional action last year to strengthen CPSC and make even stricter the ban on lead paint on toys," said CPSC Acting Chairman Thomas Moore in a press release on their website.. "This penalty should serve notice to toy makers that CPSC is committed to the safety of children, to reducing their exposure to lead, and to the implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act."

This comes the same week as an email campaign is being sent out by an anonymous originator asking for Americans to boycott Chinese products. The email tells a story of a woman who went to buy mandarin oranges from Wal-Mart when she noticed on the label of the store brand that is was "Made in China."

At this point, would we expect anything less from Wal-Mart? The woman spent the few extra cents and bought the Dole name brand that was "Made in California."

The email contends that "If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance ."

The email is asking all Americans to boycott June 4 th through July 4 th . Coincidentally, the CPSC ruled on the last downfall of trusting Chinese products on June 5 th .

What do we do America? Do we send a message to our own Congress and the Chinese that we do not need their products. Nevermind, that the Chinese continue to bail out businesses and farmers across America every day during this recession?

I am not a conspiracy theorist by nature, but do we need to worry about how much control China has over our consumerism when we are being threatened by North Korea with war?

Do we, as Americans, need to better guard our families from tainted products? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

For more information on the settlement with Fisher-Price/Mattel, visit online at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09237.html

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