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Mattel apologizes to China for toy recalls
Filed under: Health & Safety: Babies, Toys
If you are mad at China's toy manufacturers for all the recalled toys, you should know that it's not their fault. At least according to Mattel, the toy company for whom a large portion of those toxic toys were manufactured.
In a meeting today with Chinese product safety chief Li Changjiang, Mattel executive vice president for worldwide operations, Thomas A. Debrowski, issued an apology and took full responsibility for the massive toy recalls. "Our reputation has been damaged lately by these recalls. And Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys," Debrowski said.
Mattel recalled more than 21 million toys in the past few months due to lead paint concerns and the use of small magnets that could be swallowed by children. Apparently all those recalls made the Chinese toy manufacturers mad, as they say they were a result of design faults on the part of Mattel. And Mattel's Debrowski agrees that the "vast majority of those products that were recalled were the result of a design flaw in Mattel's design, not through a manufacturing flaw in China's manufacturers."
Debrowski goes on to admit that the toy recalls were overdone and included "toys that may not have had lead in paint in excess of the U.S. standards."
I don't get this. Is Debrowski saying that the recalled toys were designed with lead paint and loose magnets?
In a meeting today with Chinese product safety chief Li Changjiang, Mattel executive vice president for worldwide operations, Thomas A. Debrowski, issued an apology and took full responsibility for the massive toy recalls. "Our reputation has been damaged lately by these recalls. And Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys," Debrowski said.
Mattel recalled more than 21 million toys in the past few months due to lead paint concerns and the use of small magnets that could be swallowed by children. Apparently all those recalls made the Chinese toy manufacturers mad, as they say they were a result of design faults on the part of Mattel. And Mattel's Debrowski agrees that the "vast majority of those products that were recalled were the result of a design flaw in Mattel's design, not through a manufacturing flaw in China's manufacturers."
Debrowski goes on to admit that the toy recalls were overdone and included "toys that may not have had lead in paint in excess of the U.S. standards."
I don't get this. Is Debrowski saying that the recalled toys were designed with lead paint and loose magnets?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
9-21-2007 @ 6:50PM
SKL said...I had a feeling they were overreacting.
Too bad the guy in charge of these things in China committed suicide before the apology.
Reply
9-22-2007 @ 1:44AM
Ian said...It is a very odd 'apology' indeed. As stated by the author, I cannot see Mattel designing in the use of lead paint or small magnets that can choke a child. Considering how other manufactures have also recalled toys due to lead paint, I cannot see they all designed their products with explicit design requirements that they be made with lead paint.
Is Mattel being forced to say this by the US government to keep side with China ? Not sure, but there seems to be more going on here than we are being told.
Ian
http://BabyRecommend.com/ - New and reviews for discerning parents
Reply
9-22-2007 @ 8:43AM
nicolebarber said...Who gives a flying hoot n annie about apologizing to china, but about the worlds children who are being harmed because of lead paint, don't they realize most of the recalled items have been toys that infants and toddlers put in their mouths...THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR ALL LEAD TESTING FOR ALL CHILDREN. TO ME THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR TERRORIST ATTACKS WITH DEIGNING TOYS THAT HURT CHILDREN.
Reply
9-25-2007 @ 6:28AM
Sandyone said...No way, SKL! So much in China is about saving face. This apology is definitely linked to that and it's a bunch of bull. Kissing up to China, a nation with an abysmal record of human rights, really aggravates me. It makes me wonder what they've really got on us.
Reply
9-26-2007 @ 10:58PM
KAY MYLOD said...9/26/07 To MATTEL TOYS; I HAVE FIVE GRANDCHILDREN AND HAVE BOUGHT MATTEL TOYS IN THE PAST. NO MORE, BELIEVE ME. YOU PEOPLE ARE SO INTERESTED IN THE MONETARY BOTTOM LINE YOU DO NOT CARE THAT YOU HAVE HARMED CHILDREN. IT IS DISGUSTING AND I WILL NEVER, EVER BY YOUR TOYS AGAIN. SHAME ON YOU AND I HOPE YOU GET SUED OUT OF BUSINESS AS YOU DESERVE IT. WITH CHRISTMAS COMING UP I CAN ONLY IMAGINE YOU WILL BE IN THE RED THIS YEAR. AND I HOPE FOR EVERY YEAR 2008.
Reply