Mattel Toy Recall - Wal-Mart Has A Social Responsibility

As a father of three small children I was outraged by the recent Mattel toy recall. All of the toys were made by a contract manufacturer in China. Mattel said Wednesday, August 15th, that it was recalling 1.5 million toys globally and the recall would cost them at least $30 million dollars. The toys that were recalled included many Sesame Street and Nickelodeon characters, including Dora The Explorer backpacks, which my 2 year old daughter plays with often. Also recalled was the ‘Sarge’ character Die-Cast car from the Disney Pixar Cars movie. The ‘Sarge’ car is said to have excess levels of lead surface paint that could harm children. My 5 year old son has this car.

My wife and I buy most, if not all, of our children’s toys at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is the largest toy seller in the United States, with an estimated 45% of the retail toy business. I am of the very strong opinion that Wal-Mart has a social and moral responsibility to do independent testing of products manufactured in China and sold in their stores. China is notorious for low regulations in terms of health and safety standards. If Wal-Mart wants to continue to be the largest retailer in the United States they would be well served to know a little more about the products they sell. It is becoming the norm recently to hear of poor quality products coming out of China. The Mattel toy recall is the most recent problem in a line of bad products. Recently it was tainted dog food and toothpaste that will make you sick, all produced in China.

When will consumers in the United States wake up and smell the lead paint? We are the only thing standing between Wal-Mart and dangerous products made in China. If Wal-Mart thinks it is to expensive to know more about the dangerous products coming out of China then consumers must stand up and demand this from Wal-Mart. This can easily be done by boycotting Wal-Mart until they take a harder stance on poor Chinese manufacturing. Do you think this stance is harsh? Ask a parent of one of the sick children if this is harsh. Or ask a pet owner who lost their family dog if this is an acceptable business practice. If this boycott were to occur, the greedy hands at Wal-Mart would have testers sucking on die-cast cars immediately! Believe me, we would all benefit from this.

© 2007, Kyle James

Kyle is the owner of an online coupon Web Site, Rather-Be-Shopping Online Coupons He lives in northern California with his wife and three children. You may contact him via e-mail at ratherbeshopping@sbcglobal.net

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How To Find Safe And Quality Toys For Your Children

Buying safe toys for children is always a concern for parents, but increasing numbers of toy recalls have made safety an even greater concern. Parents do not want to spend a small fortune for toys, but they do want quality toys that will stay in one piece during play, and they do not want toys to pose a danger to the child. Fortunately, there are alternatives to most retailer offerings that can help parents meet all of those goals.

One of the easiest places to find safe, quality toys for children is through online retailers. Online retailers are often more able to offer unique, quality toys than retailers who are subjected to the limitations of corporate purchasing. At 1888toys.com, for example, there is a wide selection of toys for all ages, including toys and furniture for bedrooms and waiting rooms, which are tested not only by the manufacturer, but also by the merchant, in order to ensure quality and safety. Such retailers are also able to offer a variety of toys that have been designed, and tested, to be safe for children.

Among the quality toys that parents can look for are handmade wooden toys and wooden puzzles. Wooden toys and puzzles are painted with water-based child-safe enamel, although some may be purchased with an organic natural finish. The enamel used meets all government standards as a lead-free paint, and is perfectly safe for use by children. In addition, the toys are more durable, and generally have few to no small parts, helping to eliminate choking hazards.

Of course, wooden toys are not the only options for parents. Because babies tend to chew on everything, educational baby toys must pass government standards regarding the possibility of transmitting any toxic elements to the baby. Hand puppets and marionettes must meet the requirements of flammability and heavy metals testing. Most board games are required to pass certain standards regarding the safety of the ink, paper, and game pieces.

Finding safe, quality toys may not always be easy for parents, but there are specific things they can look for in toys. Typically, toys that are made in the U.S.A. are less likely to be subject to product recalls. The U.S. government has imposed strict regulations regarding flammability, presence of lead or heavy metals, and general safety of toys. Any toys that fail to meet government standards may not legally be sold or purchased.

Parents should also look for toys from reputable manufacturers. Individual toymakers, craftspeople and artisans are also good option as the manufacturer of safe and quality toys for children. An individual typically does not make a toy simply to make money. Instead, the toys are expressions of their creativity, and they are made with a genuine love for the toy and the child in mind. Toys made by individuals will rarely contain parts or chemicals that are harmful to children.

There are options for parents who want to buy safe toys for their children, and who also desire a quality toy. Knowing where to look, as well as knowing what to look for, can help parents find safe, quality toys. While those toys may not be on the shelf of the local mass retailer, they are well worth spending the time to find.

Marina Neiman, author and mother of two, writes for 1888Toys.com – Educational Toys Store, featuring classic wooden toys and selection of safe and quality toys for children.

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