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[Proactive J.C. Penney (JCP) turns up lead levels in Winnie the Pooh playsets]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/proactive-j-c-penney-jcp-turns-up-lead-levels-in-winnie-the-p/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/proactive-j-c-penney-jcp-turns-up-lead-levels-in-winnie-the-p/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/proactive-j-c-penney-jcp-turns-up-lead-levels-in-winnie-the-p/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We have another toy recall on our hands today. This one involves one of our most beloved icons, Winnie the Pooh.

Today's recall involves around 90,000 items, 70,400 of which were imported by J.C. Penney Company (NYSE: JCP) and feature the beloved Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) character Winnie the Pooh. The culprit is, once again, excessive levels of lead paints. The actual products J.C. Penney was forced to recall were Winnie the Pooh playsets and decorative ornaments with a horse-theme, as well as art kits made in Taiwan and Vietnam.

The good news is that many retailers like J.C. Penney are doing their best to try to keep these toxic toys from landing in the hands of children. Earlier this summer, the company decided to hire an independent laboratory to run tests on all of its painted toys. These independent evaluations, which started in August, are credited with catching today's recalled toys.

Continue reading Proactive J.C. Penney (JCP) turns up lead levels in Winnie the Pooh playsets

Proactive J.C. Penney (JCP) turns up lead levels in Winnie the Pooh playsets originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewslead paintlead poisoningLeadPaintLeadPoisoningrecallrecallstoy recallsToyRecallstoysWinnie the PoohWinnieThePoohFri, 12 Oct 2007 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Thomas & Friends bonus gift sends lead paint back to kids: Thanks but no thanks]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/02/thomas-and-friends-bonus-gift-sends-lead-paint-back-to-kids-thank/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/02/thomas-and-friends-bonus-gift-sends-lead-paint-back-to-kids-thank/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/02/thomas-and-friends-bonus-gift-sends-lead-paint-back-to-kids-thank/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

During the recent recalls of Chinese toys due to high lead content, toymaker RC2 (NASDAQ: RCRC) has been forced to recall close to 2 million products from its Thomas & Friends product line. In an effort to make up for the mistakes, the toy maker decided to give a little something back to to consumers involved in the recalls, and you guessed it... the gifts were more products with excessive lead paints!

It blows my mind that the company has actually allowed this to happen yet again. The most recent of the company's product recalls took place last week and involved around 200,000 toys, and earlier this summer the toy maker was hit was a massive 1.5 million toy recall, so it makes sense that they would try to give something back to consumers. Unfortunately the gesture of good faith has blown up in their face.

We were alerted to this unfortunate event by The Consumerist where you can also find the official statement from the company regarding this most recent consumer slap in the face:
Unfortunately, the discovery that certain Toad vehicles could be potentially unsafe was made in August, after Toads had been sent as bonus gifts to some families. Many of the Toad bonus gifts are safe, however some may not be. If you received a Toad vehicle as a bonus gift from us, please check its underside for the tracking code 1656OW00 to determine if it is one of the recalled toys.

Continue reading Thomas & Friends bonus gift sends lead paint back to kids: Thanks but no thanks

Thomas & Friends bonus gift sends lead paint back to kids: Thanks but no thanks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chinese toysChineseToyslead paintLeadPaintNASDAQ: RCRCNasdaq:RcrcRC2recalltoy recallsToyRecallsTue, 02 Oct 2007 18:48:00 EST<![CDATA[More children's products join the Chinese recall list]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/23/more-childrens-products-join-the-chinese-recall-list/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/23/more-childrens-products-join-the-chinese-recall-list/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/23/more-childrens-products-join-the-chinese-recall-list/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It seems like almost every day, when I turn on my computer, I read about yet another kids' product being recalled due to high lead content. Today was no different. Today's news involved another 300,000 or so Chinese made products that have been found to posses excess levels of lead paint and recalled.

You really have to wonder just how far does this problem stretch? How long has this been going on? I, for one, have a hard time believing that this problem has just started; it has probably been going on for a long time and only now is being watched. It is a scary thought to say the least.

Today's recall involves around a quarter million pairs of SpongeBob SquarePants address books and journals that contain harmful amounts of lead in their spiral bindings. The books were sold between June 2006 and July 2007 in stores across the U.S. Late is better than never, but for the kids who had bought the books LAST JUNE, I hate to say that the damage has probably already been done. Why did it take over a year to figure this out?

Continue reading More children's products join the Chinese recall list

More children's products join the Chinese recall list originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chinese toysChineseToysinthenewslead paintLeadPainttoy recallsToyRecallsThu, 23 Aug 2007 12:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Online retailers doing Mattel (MAT) recall grunt work on notifying parents]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/17/online-retailers-doing-mattel-recall-grunt-work-on-notifying-par/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/17/online-retailers-doing-mattel-recall-grunt-work-on-notifying-par/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/17/online-retailers-doing-mattel-recall-grunt-work-on-notifying-par/#commentsFiled under: ,

The toy recall that is still gripping the attention of parents inside and outside the U.S. has brought even more scrutiny onto the problem of quality control on products made in China. Due to several high-profile food-related recalls this year (including a toothpaste and pet food recall) the Chinese supply chain was already well under fire. Additionally, some parents have indicated that they blame the companies that distributed the toys as much as they blame the Chinese manufacturers who made them.

Who is stepping in to provide damage control? Why, retailers of course. The stores that are most directly affected by parents' disinclination to buy toys right now are already deep in the game this week. Companies such as Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), eToys.com and the online division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) -- Walmart.com -- have all been communicating with online customers via email about how to take the guesswork out of product recalls. In other words, providing lists of what is and isn't on the recall list, and how to properly dispose of those toys that are being recalled. It's a great strategy to retain customers and put yourself ahead of the perceived "non-caring" retailers.

Continue reading Online retailers doing Mattel (MAT) recall grunt work on notifying parents

Online retailers doing Mattel (MAT) recall grunt work on notifying parents originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AMZNChinese toysChineseToysFisher PriceFisher price toysFisherPriceFisherPriceToyslead paintLeadPaintMATMattel toysMattel, Inc.Mattel,Inc.MattelToysToy recallToyRecallFri, 17 Aug 2007 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fisher-Price to recall one million toys made in China]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/02/total-recall-fisher-price-to-recall-one-million-toys-made-in-ch/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/02/total-recall-fisher-price-to-recall-one-million-toys-made-in-ch/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/02/total-recall-fisher-price-to-recall-one-million-toys-made-in-ch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Maybe it's time to look under your kids' beds.

Fisher-Price, a division of toy-maker Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT), is recalling nearly one million plastic pre-school toys because of unsafe levels of lead paint. The toys were painted by a Chinese vendor with whom the company has a long association.

The recall, the second-largest this year involving toys, involves 83 different products made from April 19 through July 6. Toy characters parents (and their pre-school children) will certainly recognize include Elmo, Dora the Explorer, and her pal Diego.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a full list of the recalled toys here.

Gallery: Mattel toy recall

Everett and his Diego toysGo Diego Go Antartic RescueDiego figures and Ernie truckDora Fairytale CastleGo Diego Go Talking Rescue 4x4



Continue reading Fisher-Price to recall one million toys made in China

Fisher-Price to recall one million toys made in China originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chinese manufacturingChineseManufacturingconsumer product safety commissionConsumerProductSafetyCommissionCSPCDora The ExplorerDoraTheExplorerElmo recallElmoRecallfeaturedFisher PriceFisher Price recallFisherPriceFisherPriceRecalllead paintLeadPaintMATmattelMattel recallMattelRecallrecallToy Industry Associationtoy recallToy recallsToyIndustryAssociationToyRecallToyRecallswww.service.mattel.comThu, 02 Aug 2007 08:15:00 EST