Chinese toy factory boss has killed himself over lead paint scandal

Chinese toy factory boss commits suicide over lead paint scandal - Guardian

Extract:

"The Chinese toy factory owner at the centre of the storm over lead-tainted Sesame Street figures has committed suicide, the state-run media reported today.

Zhang Shuhong, the boss of a major supplier to Mattel, hung himself at the weekend after his export licence was suspended and 1.5m products withdrawn because of safety fears about toys sold in the US, Britain and other parts of Europe.

He is the second high-profile fatality of a growing "Made in China" consumer safety scandal, following the execution last month of the former head of the food and drug watchdog."

"The finger of blame has also been pointed at Mattel for apparently failing to enforce safety standards in its supply chain, at Chinese regulatory authorities for lax oversight and at overseas product safety inspection systems for not identifying the problem more quickly.

More than 70% of the world's toys are made in China, most of them in Guangdong province. This is not the first scandal to hit the industry. In June, 1.5m Thomas the Tank Engine products were recalled in the US because of lead fears. The tainted products were manufactured by the Hansheng Woodware company.

In recent months, overseas commerce representatives, health officials and politicians have raised concerns about Made in China products. Alarms over poisoned pet food and dangerous toothpaste come amid growing trade friction over Beijing's huge trade surplus."

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Fisher-Price recalls Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer toys because their paint contains too much lead.

Fisher-Price recalls Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer toys - Telegraph

Extracts:

"Toymaker Fisher-Price is recalling more than 94,000 products sold in Britain because of concerns their paint contains too much lead.

The toys were sold in the UK between May and August this year. The products form part of a global withdrawal of nearly one million Chinese-made plastic pre-school toys over safety fears.

Mattel Inc, which owns Fisher-Price, said 83 types of toy were affected, including figurines of Sesame Street's Big Bird and Dora the Explorer.

It is the latest in a series of safety scares involving Chinese produce and is a serious blow to Mattel.

The company's operations in the Far East, where 65 per cent of its products are manufactured, were previously held up as a model of how to do business there.

In a statement, Mattel UK said: "The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a release recalling a number of Fisher-Price licence character toys. 94,305 units of these products have been sold in the UK and Ireland.

"If customers have any of these products they should stop using them immediately. We will arrange for the return of the item and replacement toy of equivalent value.

"There have been no injuries regarding these products but the surface paint of toys concerned contain excessive levels of lead." "

"Lead is toxic and can pose a health risk to young children if ingested."

If you click on the link to the Telegraph article, there is a list of the affected toys at the end of the article.