Mattel again recalls toys made in China
Thursday, 6 September 2007
LOS ANGELES, Sept 5 (AFP): The US maker of Barbie dolls Mattel announced yesterday yet another massive recall of toys made in China, targeting some 844,000 items with high levels of lead, the company said in a statement.
"As a result of the company's ongoing investigation of its toys manufactured by vendors in China, the company has voluntarily recalled 11 (types of) toys globally," the statement from company headquarters in El Segundo, California said.
It is the third such recall of Chinese toys this summer.
Prior recalls affecting millions of toys prompted an internal investigation of Mattel toys made by Chinese vendors, which resulted in Tuesday's recall of 522,000 items within the United States and 322,000 more worldwide, the statement said.
Mattel blamed Chinese manufacturers for using "uncertified paints" with excessive amounts of lead, especially in yellow, brown and orange paints applied to the toys.
"Consequently, several subcontractors are no longer manufacturing Mattel toys," said Mattel's chief officer Robert Eckert in the statement.
Several of the affected items are Barbie accessories, but not the dolls themselves, Mattel said.
The company also recalled three toys in its Fisher-Price range, again made by Chinese manufacturers, and will refund the purchase price to consumers.
On Monday, China's chief safety watchdog blamed Mattel's designs for its prior recalls of toys made in China.
Li Changjiang said Chinese factories were in the clear over the alleged discovery of formaldehyde in clothing sold in New Zealand, as he sought to reassure the world over the "Made in China" label.
Li said only 15 per cent of the recalled toys were deemed unsafe due to Chinese manufacturers using paints with high levels of lead.
The European Commission said last week that it would take "regulatory" action against toys deemed unsafe after Mattel last month recalled 18 million Chinese-made products worldwide over high lead levels and small magnets that have seriously injured at least three children.
"As a result of the company's ongoing investigation of its toys manufactured by vendors in China, the company has voluntarily recalled 11 (types of) toys globally," the statement from company headquarters in El Segundo, California said.
It is the third such recall of Chinese toys this summer.
Prior recalls affecting millions of toys prompted an internal investigation of Mattel toys made by Chinese vendors, which resulted in Tuesday's recall of 522,000 items within the United States and 322,000 more worldwide, the statement said.
Mattel blamed Chinese manufacturers for using "uncertified paints" with excessive amounts of lead, especially in yellow, brown and orange paints applied to the toys.
"Consequently, several subcontractors are no longer manufacturing Mattel toys," said Mattel's chief officer Robert Eckert in the statement.
Several of the affected items are Barbie accessories, but not the dolls themselves, Mattel said.
The company also recalled three toys in its Fisher-Price range, again made by Chinese manufacturers, and will refund the purchase price to consumers.
On Monday, China's chief safety watchdog blamed Mattel's designs for its prior recalls of toys made in China.
Li Changjiang said Chinese factories were in the clear over the alleged discovery of formaldehyde in clothing sold in New Zealand, as he sought to reassure the world over the "Made in China" label.
Li said only 15 per cent of the recalled toys were deemed unsafe due to Chinese manufacturers using paints with high levels of lead.
The European Commission said last week that it would take "regulatory" action against toys deemed unsafe after Mattel last month recalled 18 million Chinese-made products worldwide over high lead levels and small magnets that have seriously injured at least three children.