Recall: Young Artist Easels Violate Lead Standards

Test everything that is imported from anywhere. This seems like only half the story, don't companies that import products test the products or establish criteria for the products they buy? Doesn't the government test anything? Vegetables from Mexico, peanuts from Texas and Georgia, lettuce from California, and government in Washington,...all consumer deficiency issues.

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We cannot just "stop" doing business with China, since America owes China far more money than we can pay back, and are borrowing more each day. Do you think China will just walk away if America stops buying from them? No, they will call in the debt, and America will be in trouble. America should tighten rules regarding lead in Chinese products, test more (NOT less) of the shipments and charge hefty fines to the companies in violation.

I disagree that recalls will create a cry wolf scenario - that would imply that people wouldn't care for the safety of their children enough to disregard a safety concern.

My son has had lead poisoning - it was terrifying. The cause of his lead poisoning came from the very dirt in our yard, which we had no idea contained lead. Saying that anyone deserves to be poisoned because they are poor and cannot afford a more expensive version of a toy is juvenile and ridiculous. Grow up.

And lastly, after having my home and toys scanned for lead by a nice lady from the dept. of environmental services, she explained that the trouble with lead is not that the child will put that item into their mouth, but that when they handle it, it produces lead dust, which gets on the fingers. When kids do not wash their hands, and put them in their mouths, or eat, or pick their little noses, they are poisoning themselves with the lead.

Lead poisoning is a serious issue, and I hope that the current administration does more to curb the problem, other than naming China "America's Most Favored Nation", like the last one did.

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Clearly, you are one of the more balanced contributors in this forum.
I do feel, however, that China bashing does little or nothing to address the problem and China does produce many high-tech products,...we just don't import them, except computers.

I live in an area that was heavily mined for gold between 1823 and 1849, they used interesting things like mercury in the process. Every dog I've had since I lived here, 20+ years, has died of tumors or cancer except one. We have enough things to make better here.

I'm still a little confused about who determines the specifications for a product, what mechanism or chain of responsibility is in place to make sure the specification is met, and if the chemical composition of a product is even discussed while the price is being developed.
Food issues in the US have made quite a few people sick recently, too.
Good luck for a complete recovery of your youngun.

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Yes just blame everything on China....as if everything made in the US is of perfect quality. The American importers should watch what they import! They can ask the factories for the test reports of the paint that proof it is ok but they don't because they want to buy it for the lowest price and hope nobody finds out. And when we do find out people will blame the Chinese anyway.

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I don't care what our trade agreements are with other countries.. If they are shipping in POISON to our children then we need to put a stop to that! When ever I see a "made in China" sticker I cringe.. I don't want to buy that crap! It's sadly the more affordable item in some cases but I bypass anything from China as much as I can!
I almost bought that easel for my Granddaughter and I'm so glad I didn't! We need to start testing everything before it hitst the stores and anything with higher than accepted levels will be returned AND A HUGE FINE ADDED TO THEM AS WELL! THIS HAS TO STOP!

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Interesting to buy American, when it seems that most of the American toy manufactorers are actually producing in their toys in China.

I play it safe and just buy European toys, especially German toys. There you have high safety standards.

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It is time we stopped buying goods made in China for two reasons. First of all there are no controls in place to regulate factories in China, plus they do not pay a living wage. We putting are own people out of work. We need to make the goods here and if they cost a couple dollars more so what we are keeping Americans working, of course we need to pay them a living wage much more than $ 8.00 per hour. Second we need to boycott all products made in China good or bad, our greed is destroying this country, the american way me, me, me, screw the other guy as long as I am ok and my investments go up. Well it won't be long your investments will be lost and we will be working for CHINS.

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Get a life its not walmart's problem DUMBASSES!!!!
Its Chinas falt walmart is a retail store.

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If it was not made in the USA it should be automatically recalled.

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Dan, thank you for that comment. You are so right. It is sick to wish for any pet, child, or a HUMAN to be ill with lead poisoning. Are you kidding, Charley? You really think a kid, who has no control over the monetary challenges faced by the adults in his/her life, SHOULD be poisoned?? Or as your comment stated, to have toys recalled due to choking problems? That was a cruel and vicious comment. I assume that you do not have children. It is a sad and scary day when supposed adults would speak in such a manner. We have also had our share of recalled toys made here in the USA. I do agree that imported goods seem to have a higher recall rate. But to wish harm on an innocent child is a million shades of wrong. Sorry Charley, you are heartless.

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Gripe all you like about things that are made in China. But don't kid
yourself. It is getting harder and harder to find things that weren't
made there. Anyone who says he/she doesn't buy things made in China is a liar--or deluded. I have searched high and low for different items that I desperately wanted only to find that they were made in China and, after putting off my purchases for a couple of years until I could wait no longer for an American manufacturer--or at least a country of origin that was not China, I had to give up and bite the bullet. I remember being told that we would have to give up the thought that we were a manufacturing country (higher wages) and get used to being a service country (lower wages). Then they started exporting tech support overseas, along with banking support, lab support, and a host of other things that we don't even know anything about. Swell.

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This aggravates the crap out of me !!!
WE'LL NEVER , EVER, get rid of products from CHINA !!
AND THEY KNOW IT !!
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IF WE SEE THE WORDS " MADE IN CHINA " that's one thing,
We should not make that purchase. HOWEVER, that disgusting country EXPORTS a gazillion components all around the world for other countries to make their products.
SO, A BLOUSE MAY SAY " MADE IN CANADA "
OR A SUIT WILL SAY " MADE IN INDIA"
AND A HOUSEHOLD TOOL MAY SAY " MADE IN GERMANY"
AND SO ON, AND SO ON.

BUT SOMETHING NOT MADE IN CHINA DOESN'T INSURE ANY OF US THAT THE MATERIALS WERE NOT PURCHASED FROM CHINA.
***************************************************************
SO THE BEST WE ALL CAN DO IS > DO NOT TO SHOP IN THE DOLLAR STORES....WALMARTS.... KMARTS AND THE LIKE.
EVEN BETTER STORES MACYS BLOOMINGDALES,
ETC. ETC. ETC.
DON'T EVEN BUY AN FRIGGIN EGGROLL LOL

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I was born in 1938. As a child, I and my friends played with toys that were 100% lead such as toy soldiers. If those easels are as dangerous as the "authorities " claim, why am I, at 71, alive and in good health with full mental facilities? I was exposed to more lead in a day that today's kid are exposed to in a year.

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When in the world is the U.S. going to boycott any imports from China. It seems to me that they are trying to eliminate the children before they have a chance to grow up. Another example of "Lets put Lead in the Products that are being imported to the U.S., and get rid of them all

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Oh for Kripes sake ... tell the kids not to eat their easels and they will be fine. The CPSC goes on these witch hunts so that they can validate their existence. I have news for you, test your tap water. There is probably more lead there than in ANY toy from ANY country. I'm a boomer and we had unregulated levels of lead in our house paint, toys, pencils, crayons ... you name it. We all seem to be living to ripe old ages and I NEVER knew a single developementally disabled kid when I was growing up. My grandfather and his generation played with lead toy soldiers and he died at the age of 97 after falling off a ladder. Lead is not a good thing .... but give me a break. Too bad the CPSC didn't go after vaccines for having MERCURY in them.

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