TROUBLE IN TOYLAND - Lawmakers, Wal-Mart vow action amid recalls - Lead-tainted products and other hazards spur plans for hearings and better oversight.
Amid a fresh spate of toy recalls, members of Congress said Thursday that they would hold hearings about product safety and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. vowed to increase testing and oversight of the playthings it sold.
But neither of those actions will guarantee a trouble-free toy aisle any time soon, according to activists who contend that legislation is needed to mandate stricter standards.
"The government agencies and the quality control operations in the companies that are supposed to prevent these problems are not working," said Jean Halloran, a food and product safety expert for Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports. "You need to start from the point of view that to a large degree, you're on your own. You are the one who has to protect yourself and your family."
In Washington, a House subcommittee requested information from 19 companies responsible for recent recalls of more than 9 million lead-tainted children's products imported from China.
The subcommittee on commerce, trade and consumer protection also said it would hold a hearing on the issue next month.
"I am outraged that in 2007 lead-tainted products continue to endanger the health of our children," said Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.). "Children put everything into their mouths -- if they swallow trinkets made with high quantities of lead, it can kill them."
Meanwhile Wal-Mart -- the nation's largest retailer and No. 1 toy seller -- said it would ask toy manufacturers to resubmit safety test results for toys already on shelves or on their way to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club stores.
Wal-Mart said it was increasing its third-party testing, adding an average of 200 more toy safety tests a day.
The retailer, which said it would share its test results with the toy industry and other retailers, identified a priority list of about 5,000 toys that are targeted at children younger than 3 and which are made with either paint or magnets -- two hazards identified in recent recalls, company executives said.
The retailer also said it was in discussions with manufacturers and an industry trade group about a children's product seal of approval, which would certify that a product passed independent safety tests. In addition to toy problems, the retailer this year recalled children's' bibs because the vinyl material on them could contain lead.
