BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Guerilla consumer groups testing toys for lead in stores]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/16/guerilla-consumer-groups-testing-toys-for-lead-in-stores/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/16/guerilla-consumer-groups-testing-toys-for-lead-in-stores/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/16/guerilla-consumer-groups-testing-toys-for-lead-in-stores/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Worried about the honesty and effectiveness of the toy-screening conducted by major toy manufacturers and retailers? Zap 'em yourself with a Niton X-ray fluorescence analyzer, or XRF gun. That's what many consumer groups, including the Center for Environmental Health and HealthyToys.org, do in the continuing struggle to keep dangerous toys off retailer's shelves. The handheld guns go for $25,000 and emit mini x-rays which strike the toy; the "elements in that sample emit return rays with frequencies that indicate which elements are present and in what amounts."

Retailers and manufacturers are not pleased, contending that such guerilla testing is a poor manner of assessing a toy's safety. But the XRF gun is what the CPSC itself uses to test toys, which consumer groups point to as evidence that the technology is appropriate. (The CPSC goes on to send toys that read hot to a third-party laboratory for verification.) And anyway: this manner of testing actually uncovers toys which are toxic, much better than the CPSC's old strategy: go to stores, and look for the ones with bright colors (more likely to be tainted with lead). A comparison of the two strategies showed the XRF gun screening to have a far higher discovery rate, though of course many items that had high readings on the XRF gun were shown to be safe after further lab testing.

But who wants consumer advocacy groups out looking for bad toys? Certainly not the toy companies, who can only stand to be hurt by the increased scrutiny and "fear-mongering." In a column published earlier today I wrote about my concern over the fate of small toymakers given the impending effective date of the CPSIA. I can't exactly shed big tears, then, for the bigger manufacturers and importers who might be hurt by the discovery of toxins (even if the alarm bells ring a bit too loudly and too soon). The two manners of dealing with the toxic toy issue -- attacking it in the streets with ray guns, or clamping a shackle of expensive testing around each toy before it hits the market -- both seem wrong-headed, one too reactive, the other too proactive. Isn't there a better middle ground?

Guerilla consumer groups testing toys for lead in stores originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cpscleadlead paintLeadPaintrecallstoyxrfxrf gunXrfGunTue, 16 Dec 2008 16:02:00 EST<![CDATA[An expert's view of the lead-in-toys scandal]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/15/an-experts-view-of-the-lead-in-toys-scandal/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/15/an-experts-view-of-the-lead-in-toys-scandal/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/15/an-experts-view-of-the-lead-in-toys-scandal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

In an effort to better understand the lead-in-toys scandal, I had a chance today to talk to an industry expert on the topic. Dr. Marcia Stone holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and is Founder/President of Hybrivet Systems, a manufacturer of lead-testing equipment for industry and home use. She has worked in the lead testing field for 15 years.

I asked Dr, Stone why manufacturers would use lead paint? She explained that "Lead in paint provides a hard, glossy, pretty finish, the reason it was once used extensively in expensive housing. Leaded paint is also easy to work with and inexpensive."

What lead-containing products have you found on American shelves that consumers should be concerned about?
"The scandal over lead in children's jewelry is not over; we continue to find these products for sale," said Stone. She told me manufacturers will use a core of lead in cheap jewelry and cover it with nickel plating or paint, or use a solder containing lead in its construction. Children often chew on their jewelry, and as little as three milligrams of lead, about the size of three grains of sugar, can kill a child. Since lead has a sweet taste, the propensity for children to ingest it is even greater.

Continue reading An expert's view of the lead-in-toys scandal

An expert's view of the lead-in-toys scandal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSIONCPSCDR. MARCIA STONEEPAHDHOME DEPOTHYBRIVET SYSTEMSlEADLEAD IMPORTSLEAD IN PAINTLEAD IN TOYSLEAD POISONINGLEAD REGULATIONSMATMattelMattel toy recallWed, 15 Aug 2007 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Mattel (MAT): Looking into the latest recall]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/14/mattel-mat-looking-into-the-latest-recall/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/14/mattel-mat-looking-into-the-latest-recall/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/14/mattel-mat-looking-into-the-latest-recall/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For the second time in as many weeks, Mattel Inc. (NYSE: MAT) has issued a recall of Chinese-manufactured toys thanks to the use of lead paint. If ingested, lead paint can lead to illness or developmental problems. The latest recall impacts 7.3 million play sets, including Batman action figures and the latest, disturbingly large (at least, since my childhood) incarnation of Polly Pocket dolls. Additionally, 1.5 million die-cast metal cars are going to be pulled off the shelves.

According to a statement from Nancy A. Nord, acting chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission: "The scope of these recalls is intentionally large to prevent any injuries from occurring."

As BloggingStocks' Brent Archer noted earlier today, it is "hard to imagine this stock going up by too much over the next few months." With 80% of all toys sold worldwide made in China, one has to wonder if this is merely the latest in a line of recalls set to come down the pipeline, but one also has to wonder if further complications are already being factored into the shares.


Continue reading Mattel (MAT): Looking into the latest recall

Mattel (MAT): Looking into the latest recall originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Batman action figuresBatmanActionFigureschineseconsumer product safety commissionConsumerProductSafetyCommissioncpscMATPolly Pocket dollPollyPocketDolltoy recallToyRecallTue, 14 Aug 2007 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Parents Magazine warns of toy cell phone recall]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/06/parents-magazine-warns-of-toy-cell-phone-recall/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/06/parents-magazine-warns-of-toy-cell-phone-recall/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/06/parents-magazine-warns-of-toy-cell-phone-recall/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Consumer Products Safety Commission, in conjunction with Parents Magazine, has announced the recall of some 300,000 Record-A-Voice toy cell phones. It has been reported to the manufacturer that at least 54 of the toy units have become unhinged, then releasing a metal hinge pin which poses a choking hazard to children.

The toy cell phones were sold through Target stores September 2006 through January 2007, and the recall applies only to certain manufacturing date codes. The date codes of 090106 through 101206 are specified in the CPSC news release. Worthy of note is the fact that the potentially dangerous toy cell phones were manufactured in China by Battat Inc. of Plattsburgh, NY.

Please take these toy cell phones away from young children immediately and contact Battat to receive a replacement product or refund. See the Consumer Product Safety Commission news release.

Oh, and remind the kids not to eat pet food with Chinese wheat gluten in it. We hear that stuff is dangerous also.

Parents Magazine warns of toy cell phone recall originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 06 May 2007 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BattatchinaCPSCmanufactureParents MagazineParentsMagazinePlattsburghrecallTargettoytoy cell phoneToyCellPhonewheat glutenSun, 06 May 2007 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple laptop battery recall: one time, just like the last time]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/08/24/apple-laptop-battery-recall-one-time-just-like-the-last-time/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/08/24/apple-laptop-battery-recall-one-time-just-like-the-last-time/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/08/24/apple-laptop-battery-recall-one-time-just-like-the-last-time/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

apple batteries overheatingIs this a line dance? Last week, Dell's recall of 4.1 billion Sony-manufactured laptop batteries must have sent every laptop manufacturer scurrying to their quality control department. I should have just gone ahead and bought the domain, "applebatteryrecall.com" right then, because here it is 10 days later and guess who's recalling Sony batteries now?

Yep, Apple. The cutest of all computer companies only has 1.8 million batteries as a part of its recall, from 12" iBook G4, 12" PowerBook G4 and 15" PowerBook G4 laptops sold between October 2003 and August 2006 in the U.S. Unfortunately for the headline writers, no Apple laptops actually caught fire, although two consumers did receive minor burns when their laptop overheated.

While no one likes a recall, it doesn't seem as if either Apple or Dell will feel it on the bottom line; and, in fact, Apple stock is up a tick on the news, 21 cents, to $67.52. Sony Corp (SNE), on the other hand, is down nearly 3% to $43.27.

[Photo courtesy Dat Nguyen]

Apple laptop battery recall: one time, just like the last time originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Aug 2006 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple batteryapple battery recallapple overheatingAppleBatteryAppleBatteryRecallAppleOverheatingbattery catching on firebattery firebattery recallBatteryCatchingOnFireBatteryFireBatteryRecallcpscdelldell battery recallDellBatteryRecallfirehotibooklaptop batterylaptop battery recalllaptop overheatingLaptopBatteryLaptopBatteryRecallLaptopOverheatingmacbookoverheatoverheatingrecallsafetysonysony batterySonyBatteryThu, 24 Aug 2006 14:09:00 EST