(AP Photo)
The days of quality, long lasting, domestic products are long gone, especially with toys, and while the toys are cheaper, are they better? Well the quality question has been one that many have been asking for years, and now the answer seem very clear to many consumers. As toy recalls seem to be a regular activity this summer frantic parents are increasingly finding themselves searching the house for potentially hazardous toys. A day tossing sofa cushions aside, crawling under beds, and digging though endless containers of toys, is not a parents idea of entertainment, but when the toy may actually cause long term harm to your child, you move quick.
Toxic lead paint is the biggest predator to come out of China, hiding in the innocent smile of Elmo, Diego, Thomas, and what seems to be countless preschool toys. Anyone who knows a child, knows how often a toy finds its way into a child's mouth. The fear that that toy could be making your child sick, let alone kill them is a parents worst nightmare.
Across the US and Europe, news reports have been stirring concern for parents and governments have been accused of being lax in amending the situation. With China on its way to being the worlds largest exporter, the concerns by consumers and governments are well rooted. The EU Consumer Protection Commissioner Kuneva stated, “I don't like to use the word sanctions, but Europe will not hesitate to impose them if necessary” (Poison Toys from The Middle Kingdom). In the US Mark Pryor, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's Consumer Affairs Subcommittee, said; “The Consumer Product Safety Commission does not have the resources to catch this type of problem, we’re seeing this over and over. This is an agency that is withering on the vine” (Recalls Of Toys Pressure Agency).
"These are items that children are supposed to be playing with, it should be at a point where companies in the United States that are importing these items are held liable", said Prescott Carlson, of Imperfect Parent.
So what is being done in China? Many claim that a great deal of ignoring the issue has been done, but it appears that international pressures, are starting to take hold, if a bit late on both sides. China has now banned two factories from exporting toys after the high-profile recall of Mattel toy products due to the fears about lead in the paint. However toxic toys are only part of the problem for the Chinese, as product such as toothpaste, dog food and some food products have also faced recalls. The Chinese government has also put on trial five managers of pharmaceutical companies, who have been accused of causing the death of patients with a tainted medicine. (As More Toys Are Recalled, Trail Ends in China). But for many the blame falls on the manufactures, the US titans of toys, who are “entrusted the testing of these toys to the actual factory that was producing them,” says Don Mays of Consumer Reports. “We think that that was a mistake” (Parents, Toy Companies Stress After Recall).
The recall of millions of toys leaves parents to ask, “How did it even get this far?”. We all know that lead poisoning is severely harmful, especially to children, as it can damage brain cells, therefore should we even be sitting here in such a chaotic quandary over children's toys? How can we be in such a global and knowledgeable world, and still have such major safety mishaps occurring as if it where just part of the normal routine? So who's fault does it really come down to? The Chinese government, Manufacture, the Factory, or the Consumers for demanding such cheap products? Weather in China, Europe or the US, we know what is safe, so the enforcement of consumer safety seems to be the major issue.
The truth is that if we want cheap then we may have to continue to face these problems in order to purchase from the Chinese export superpower, who makes around 80% of US purchased toys. No longer are the days of British made matchbox cars or US made fisher price toys. As long as we continue to demand cheap products, we will have to import them from overseas. Maybe we should think before we continue to throw our money out the window with little regard to where we buy our products, let alone any thought at all as to how it's even possible that it could be sold to us that cheap. So while our wallets aren't seeing a hit, our children are suffering the burden.
Maybe we need to decide, is it worth it to buy your kids all these needless toys? Do we really want our children to have more toys, or better toys? If we don't bother to clamp down on safety, the next time you are forced to pry a Thomas train from the hands of a red faced, shrieking 2 year old. Just look at one of your old toys, like a matchbox car, to the version your child has, and the quality difference will shock you!
