News on Mattel and CPSC

[JessicaAFm]

As a mother, this seriously concerns me.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090827/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_product_testing_mattel

Here are a few snippets:

Third-party safety tests not required for Mattel
Toy-makers, clothing manufacturers and other companies selling products for young children are submitting samples to independent laboratories for safety tests. But the nation's largest toy maker, Mattel, isn't being required to do the same.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently, and quietly, granted Mattel's request to use its own labs for testing that is required under a law Congress passed last summer in the wake of a rash of recalls of toys contaminated by lead. Six of those toys were produced by Mattel Inc., and its subsidiary Fisher-Price.

Mattel says it demonstrated to the CPSC that its products go through rigorous safety tests. Spokeswoman Lisa Marie Bongiovanni also said Mattel has an appropriate "firewall" in place to ensure test results are protected from corporate influence.

The six Mattel-related recalls in 2007 involved more than 2 million toys. They were part of a slew of recalls by several dozen companies. The recalls frightened parents and pressure came to bear on Congress to pass the new law, known as CPSIA.

The agency approved seven Mattel labs as "firewalled third party laboratories" — the first to get that designation under the new law, which permits the "firewall" exception. Mattel pushed hard for the firewalled labs provision when Congress was considering the legislation. The company spent more than $1 million in 2008 on lobbying, according to federal records.

Mattel's "firewalled" labs are in Mexico, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and California.

This is my email I am sending to CPSC:

First, I support all the work that CPSC does. It is of great importance that you are here to protect our youth and families. However, I want to write and let you know how disturbed I am on the recent allowance regarding Mattel using their own laboratories in lead testing. As an agency that states it's purpose as "protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction", I feel this decision is the exact opposite of your mission statement. Mattel should be held to the same standards as any other toy maker. Mattel had the chance to have their independent labs test when they released all those toys to the public that resulted in the law change. Obviously they were not able to self regulate then, why now? Also, I feel allowing any labs outside the USA to perform these lead tests is outrageous. That is work that could be done by US citizens. In addition, how are we to be sure a foreign lab actually has our children's best interests in mind? Please reconsider this action as it does nothing but convey a sense of condoning Mattel's behavior.

Sincerely,

Jessica M.......

If you wish to convey your thoughts on this matter to CPSC, you can contact them here:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/info.aspx