Chinese toys

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China Blames Crisis in Latest GDP Slide

Growth at solid 9%, but down for 5th quarter in row as exports shrink

(Newser) - The dragon isn’t sick yet, but it’s definitely catching cold: China’s gross domestic product grew by an enviable 9% in the third quarter, but still failed to match last quarter’s result of 10.1%, the Guardian reports. The data mark the first time China’s GDP...

Wal-Mart Tightens Toy Safety Standards

Retailer goes beyond government requirements

(Newser) - Wal-Mart is adopting stricter toy safety standards, going above and beyond existing government requirements, the Wall Street Journal reports. The standards set hard lead limits, and encourage “traceability information,” to show where toys are from. Complying could boost toymakers’ costs by 5%-7%, but since Wal-Mart is the world’...

China Exports Inflation to US
China Exports Inflation to US
Feb 1, 2008 1:35 PM CST

China Exports Inflation to US

Coinciding factors exert upward pressure on prices

(Newser) - After years of pumping out cheap consumer goods, China is driving up American price tags, the New York Times reports. As costs rise domestically, prices down the supply chain rise at the same time that recession threatens in the US. “China has been the world’s factory,” said...

Lead Toys Get Charities Grinchy
Lead Toys Get Charities Grinchy
Nov 21, 2007 2:04 PM CST

Lead Toys Get Charities Grinchy

Checking endless recall lists saps limited resources for many

(Newser) - Rampant toy recalls are putting a real cramp in the holiday spirit at many charities, MSNBC reports. Toy drives must devote so much manpower to checking donations against lists of lead-contaminated recalls that many have stopped the Santa act entirely. “You don’t know what you’re getting, you...

Calif. Sues Toy Firms Over Lead
Calif. Sues Toy Firms Over Lead
Nov 20, 2007 3:09 PM CST

Calif. Sues Toy Firms Over Lead

State attorney general's action targets Mattel, other toy companies

(Newser) - California filed suit yesterday against Mattel, Toys R Us, and 18 other companies, accusing them of making or selling products that contain "unlawful quantities of lead," reports the LA Times. The suit, which follows major recalls of toys during the last year, aims to force manufacturers and retailers...

Fake Teeth Recalled on Halloween
Fake Teeth Recalled on Halloween
Oct 31, 2007 2:55 PM CDT

Fake Teeth Recalled on Halloween

$2 Chinese-made party favors turn out to contain dangerous lead

(Newser) - How's this for last-minute: The US government issued a recall of Chinese-made fake teeth—costume—today. The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the recall for the $2 "ugly teeth" because of high levels of lead, the AP reports. The agency estimates that 43,000 packs of eight sets of...

500K Toys Recalled Over Lead
500K Toys Recalled Over Lead
Oct 4, 2007 3:19 PM CDT

500K Toys Recalled Over Lead

Levels above legal limit in China-made bookmarks, blocks, key chains

(Newser) - Over half a million Chinese-made toys have been recalled due to dangerous lead levels, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced today. Toys ranging from Winnie the Pooh bookmarks to Baby Einstein color blocks were found to contain levels above the .06% legal limit, Reuters reports. 192,000 dollar-store key chains...

SpongeBob? Not You, Too!
SpongeBob?
Not You, Too!
Aug 23, 2007 9:43 AM CDT

SpongeBob? Not You, Too!

Another recall of 300,000 Chinese toys hits America

(Newser) - Some 300,000 more toys and other children's items made in China have been recalled due to safety concerns about lead. That includes 250,000 SpongeBob journals and address books with lead paint on the metal bindings. The journals, imported by privately held Martin Designs Inc., were sold in US...

China-Made Baby Bibs Contain Lead
China-Made Baby Bibs Contain Lead
Aug 15, 2007 4:59 PM CDT

China-Made Baby Bibs Contain Lead

Tests of Toys 'R' Us aprons finds possible hazard; company claims compliance

(Newser) - Tests by a non-profit agency and the NY Times found made-in-China baby bibs sold at Toys "R" Us contaminated with lead, the paper reported today. After its own recent tests, a government agency did not move to recall the bib; Wal-Mart voluntarily removed bibs made by the same company...

Chinese Toy Exec Commits Suicide After Recall

China banned exports from the company

(Newser) - The head of a Chinese company that made a million of the lead-tainted toys recalled by Mattel last month hanged himself in his warehouse this weekend. Zhang Shuhong's  suicide followed the announcement Thursday that China banned exports from his company because of the defects. Colleagues reported that Zhang had been...

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