Regulators Look for Answers to Chinese-Made Toy Crisis

WASHINGTON — Grim-faced and humble, federal regulators and toy companies had no shortage of solutions for a rash of toy recalls that have left parents anxious and Congress angry.Provide more money to federal regulators, the chief of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Nancy Nord, urged Congress, after years in which agency funding has not kept pace with demands.Hold wayward Chinese subcontractors who make dangerous toys accountable, the chief executive officer of Mattel Inc., Robert Eckert, said, while largely declining the option of taking his business to other countries with higher labor costs.But after more than two hours of testimony, none of them offered the assurances that parents probably sought the most: Will the toys I buy for my kids this Christmas season be safe?“Competition and voluntary actions of today’s businessmen do not always suffice to safeguard the public interest,” CPSC commissioner, Thomas Moore, said. “It has taken years for the commission to get to its present position, and it will take years to correct.”Testimony to Congress yesterday detailed loose Chinese standards and spotty American enforcement that have contributed to a spate of recalls of Chinesemade toys, food, and other products as health threats.Mr. Eckert said the company could have done a better job overseeing subcontractors in China that produced more than 21 million recalled toys.He told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the company would now test the safety of Chinese-made products with its own laboratories or with laboratories certified by the company.Mr. Eckert also disputed reports that public warnings about the dangerous products were delayed because of disagreements with federal regulators or that Mattel might be motivated by saving money at the expense of safety when it chose to do business in China.“I, like you, am deeply disturbed and disappointed by recent events. We were let down, and so we let you down,” he said. “But we have tackled difficult issues before and demonstrated an ability to make change for the better.”In recent weeks, Mattel has recalled millions of Chinese-made toys, including popular Barbie, Polly Pocket and “Cars” movie items, because of concerns about lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed.Under federal rules, manufacturers with a few exceptions must report all claims of potentially hazardous product defects within 24 hours. Mattel reportedly took months to gather information and privately investigate problems after becoming aware of them.Yesterday, Mr. Eckert said Mattel has been working with the CPSC to “develop a new set of reporting protocols” but denied any suggestions of a feud.The hearing comes as manufacturers and retailers scramble to restore public confidence in the safety of toys made in the United States — particularly those made in China — as the busy holiday season approaches.The Toy Industry Association has expressed support for congressional efforts to impose mandatory safety-testing standards. Companies such as Walt Disney Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have announced their own measures, with toy maker Step2 Co. saying yesterday it intends to expand its labeling next week to make sure consumers know a product’s foreign origins.

Regulators Look for Answers to Chinese-Made Toy Crisis

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