| I opened my local newspaper on Saturday, | | | | China sold in the US and Canada. |
| September 22, 2007 and saw the picture of my | | | | Mattel has had three recalls of toys made in China in |
| wife's bracelet on the front page. The bracelet, | | | | 2007. In total, Mattel has recalled nearly twenty million |
| purchased for her birthday by a friend to benefit a | | | | toys including Chinese-made Sarge die-cast toys from |
| local charity, was highlighted in color at the top of the | | | | the Pixar film Cars which have lead paint. In fact an |
| page. The story indicated that the bracelet, made in | | | | executive in charge at one Mattel supplier was |
| China, was being recalled due to a high lead content. | | | | reported as having killed himself last month after |
| Her bracelet is just one example of a large number | | | | toys his firm made were among those recalled. |
| of consumer products that have been recalled from | | | | Chinese media reported that Zhang Shuhong, |
| Chinese manufacturers in 2007. | | | | co-owner of the Lee Der Toy Company, had been |
| The list of 2007 product recalls from China is not only | | | | found hanged in one of his factories. |
| large in number, but includes a wide variety of | | | | The US imports about one-fifth of its seafood from |
| consumer products as well. The recall list includes the | | | | China. Some shipments were found to have traces of |
| following items: Toxic lead paint is the problem in | | | | antibiotics and disinfectants that are banned in U.S. |
| products that include jackets and overalls, bracelets, | | | | fish production. Other inspections uncovered fish |
| key chains, children's rings, easels, paint, lunch boxes, | | | | products that were tainted with salmonella and |
| necklaces, and wooden toys. However, recalled | | | | pesticides. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration |
| products extend beyond toxic lead paint to | | | | (FDA) recently imposed a nationwide hold on the |
| overheating ceramic heaters, flammable lamps and oil | | | | import of five types of farmed fish and seafood |
| heaters, and remote controls. The extensive list of | | | | from China. |
| recalled products also includes breakable bike frames, | | | | China is taking the problem seriously. Recently, the |
| faulty extension cords, poison pet food, hair dryers, | | | | former head of China's State Food and Drug |
| faulty wall sconces and candles, flammable baby | | | | Administration, Zheng Xiaoyu was executed for |
| clothes, cribs, toxic fish, tires, seafood, toothpaste, | | | | corruption. However, China does not appear |
| glassware, hammocks, and even recliners. | | | | confident that their drug safety situation will be |
| The recalled products from China come from many | | | | resolved anytime soon. Here is a recent quote from |
| major United States companies; such as, Mattel, | | | | spokeswomen Yan Jiangying : "As a developing |
| Target, Family Dollar Stores, Holmes Group, Best Buy, | | | | country, China's food and drug supervision work |
| Currey and Company, Kidsite Jewelry sold at Kmart, | | | | began late and its foundations are weak. Therefore, |
| Toys R Us, Disney, Sears, Cracker Barrel Old Country | | | | the food and drug safety situation is not something |
| Stores and many others. | | | | we can be optimistic about." |
| The stories of tainted Chinese manufactured | | | | With Chinese imports totaling $288 billion per year, |
| products are everywhere. Consider the following: | | | | President George W. Bush has set up a panel to look |
| A California official discovered in July that 350,000 | | | | at the safety of food and other products imported |
| lunchboxes distributed as part of a promotion to | | | | into the United States. He stated after the first |
| encourage healthy eating in children contained | | | | meeting of the panel that, "the American people |
| significant amounts of lead. These lunchboxes were | | | | expect their government to work tirelessly to make |
| imported from China through a company called T-A | | | | sure consumer products are safe." Others in |
| Creations. | | | | Congress are calling for an "import czar" to oversee |
| Earlier this year, more than 100 brands of cat and | | | | all products brought into the United States. |
| dog food were pulled from the shelves in the U.S. | | | | My wife is puzzled in deciding what to do with her |
| after pets died from eating food contaminated with | | | | colorful bracelet high in lead content. Since the charity |
| the chemical melamine, traced back to wheat gluten | | | | is absorbing the cost of the recall, returning the |
| from China. | | | | bracelet would only hurt the good work of the |
| In Panama, the deaths of some 51 people have been | | | | charity and its foundation. The bracelet will probably |
| blamed on cough syrup tainted with Chinese-made | | | | remain in its box for now awaiting an uncertain |
| diethylene glycol, commonly used in antifreeze. The | | | | future. |
| same chemical has been found in toothpastes from | | | | |