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U.S. Senator calls for hearing on toxic toys (Tampa Tribune)

July 1, 2007

By Mary Shedden

TAMPA - It has become routine. Another Chinese-made product is recalled, and consumers rush to toss their jewelry, toothpaste, pet food, toy trains and tires.

That increasingly frequent news prompted outrage last week from consumers and lawmakers in Tallahassee and Washington, who called for answers about how and why contaminated products are reaching U.S. stores.

Lead-tainted trinkets for children were of particular concern.

"Why is this continuing to happen?" asked U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat who last week called for congressional hearings into lead content in children's toys and jewelry. "What are the repercussions? Right now they just seem to recall."

Hearings, which could be held this month, stem from Klobuchar's growing concern over the presence of lead and lead paint in children's toys. Since 2006, there have been 41 recalls of children's toys, jewelry and clothing because of high levels of the toxic metal, which is known to cause developmental problems in children younger than 6.

A Tampa Tribune investigation published last week revealed that despite the rash of recalls, imported children's jewelry with potentially lethal levels of lead remained available at area retailers. Jewelry has been the source of the majority of lead recalls. All but three of the 41 lead-related recall items were made in China.

Klobuchar said the Tribune's findings and the recent recall of 1.5 million Thomas the Tank Engine trains compel a review of how the Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates nearly 15,000 domestically sold products. The hearing would be by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which oversees consumer issues.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, agreed that the safety commission cannot be a "toothless tiger" when unsafe products made overseas are unchecked. He serves with Klobuchar on the Senate commerce committee.

"The recent wave of unsafe products hitting our shores, including toys, shows the need for a reinvigorated Consumer Product Safety Commission and better enforcement of our consumer safety laws at the border," Nelson said.

Klobuchar points to a 10 percent reduction in the agency's budget and vacancies in the commission as problems.

"It must not be a priority for funds with this administration," she said.

Commission 'Holding Its Own'

The record number of recalls issued in the past two years shows the emphasis the commission is placing on safety, agency spokeswoman Julie Vallese said. Hearings will allow the agency to show what it has been doing.

"It is no secret the agency's budget and staff has gone down, but the regulatory authority and responsibility has not," she said. "The agency is holding its own."

Long before the most recent queries into the safety commission's problems, several state legislatures implemented stringent laws on lead content. California, Illinois and several municipalities have issued rules aimed at reducing the risk of children's exposure to trinkets. New York has pending legislation.

Several Florida legislators who serve on consumer and children's health-related committees said they too want to see whether state rules can improve safety or awareness. Last week, two committee staffs were directed to review the Tribune investigation to see whether state legislation is merited.

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson said he's wary of state legislation aimed at what he considers an international trade issue. His agency is not equipped with the staff or resources to duplicate federal inspection procedures.

"I'm going to have a hard time convincing the Legislature that I need to build a new testing lab exclusively for consumer products," Bronson said.

He said his agents will continue to look for items targeted in federal recalls and will work with the state Department of Health to educate consumers about unsafe products. He said all children should be tested for toxic metals, but he stopped short of suggesting the tests be mandatory.

State laws won't do enough to protect children, said Klobuchar, a former Minnesota prosecutor. She points to the 2004 lead-poisoning death of a Minneapolis boy as reason enough to address the issue on a federal level.

About 30 percent of the 310,000 cases of young children with lead poisoning in the United States are attributed to an avoidable source, such as toys or jewelry.

"Kids are dying," she said. "Something is going wrong."

Going To The Source

That nearly all the recalled items are from China is another reason to tackle the problem on a federal level, safety commission spokesman Scott Wolfson said. Recent reports show that of the 94 toy recalls since 2004, 78 products were made in China.

Acting commission Chairwoman Nancy Nord and senior staff recently went to China to discuss the manufacturing of toys, electrical products, cigarette lighters and fireworks, Wolfson said.

Another trade meeting between the safety commission and its Chinese counterpart is scheduled for September in Washington. Wolfson said it's paramount to explain how imported goods sold here should be held to the same standards as those made in the United States.

"The majority of products we recall are Chinese-made products," he said. "And we want to tackle this issue at the source."

Klobuchar said the lead content issue is also important to the businesses that sell the products.

"I think retailers would have as much interest in fixing this as our moms do," she said.

http://www.tbo.com/news/money/MGB4QKAZK3F.html