| Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 14-08-2007 11:01 |
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kpangilinan
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From Yahoo! News
WASHINGTON - Toy-making giant Mattel Inc. issued recalls Tuesday for about 9 million Chinese-made toys that contain magnets that can be swallowed by children or could have lead paint.
The recalls includes 7.3 million play sets, including Polly Pocket dolls and Batman action figures, and 253,000 die cast cars that contain lead paint. The action was announced on the company's Web site and at a news conference here by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Nancy A. Nord, acting CPSC chairman, said no injuries had been reported with any of the products involved in the new recall. Several injuries had been reported in an earlier Polly Pocket recall last November.
"The scope of these recalls is intentionally large to prevent any injuries from occurring," she told the news conference.
It was the latest blow to the toy industry, which has had a string of recalled products from China, ranging from faulty tires to tainted toothpaste. With more than 80 percent of toys sold worldwide made in China, toy sellers are nervous that shoppers will shy away from their products.
The recall involving lead paint was Mattel's second in two weeks. Earlier this month, consumers were warned about 1.5 million Chinese-made toys that contain lead paint.
"There is no excuse for lead to be found in toys entering this country," Nord said. "It's totally unacceptable and it needs to stop."
Toys recalled Tuesday include 253,000 Sarge brand cars, because the surface paint could contain lead levels in excess of federal standard. The 2 1/2-inch, 1-inch high car looks like a military jeep.
Also recalled were 345,000 Batman and "One Piece" action figures, 683,000 Barbie and Tanner play sets and 1 million Doggie Day Care play sets.
In full-page ads Tuesday in The New York Times and other newspapers, Mattel said it was "one of the most trusted names with parents" and was "working extremely hard to address your concerns and continue creating safe, entertaining toys for you and your children."
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which negotiated details of Mattel's recalls, reported that since its recall of Polly Pockets play sets in Nov. 11, three children had been injured by swallowing more than one magnet. All three suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery.
Two weeks ago, Mattel's Fisher-Price division announced the worldwide recall of 1.5 million Chinese-made preschool toys featuring characters such as Dora the Explorer, Big Bird and Elmo. About 967,000 of those toys were sold in the United States between May and August.
Mattel discovered the latest problem while they were investigating the earlier recall, Nord said.
Mattel officials maintained that a European retailer discovered the lead in some of the lead-covered Fisher-Price products in early July. On July 6, the company halted operations at the factory in China that produced the toys and launched an investigation.
Days after the Fisher-Price recall, Chinese officials temporarily banned the toys' manufacturer, Lee Der Industrial Co., from exporting products. A Lee Der co-owner, Cheung Shu-hung, committed suicide at a warehouse over the weekend, apparently by hanging himself, a state-run newspaper reported Monday.
Lee Der was under pressure in the global controversy over the safety of Chinese-made products, and it is common for disgraced officials to commit suicide in China.
After Mattel announced the recall of its Fisher-Price toys, it launched a full-scale investigation into all of its factories in China.
Before this month, Fisher-Price and parent company Mattel had never before recalled toys because of lead paint.
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 14-08-2007 11:56 |
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Chris
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I have contacted Mattel to try and get more info regarding the Batman figures that have been recalled. Once I get more info, I'll pass it along..

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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 14-08-2007 12:31 |
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callingcard
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THanks
" Take this guy...armed roberry, double homicide. Got a taste for the theatrics like you and leaves a calling card." Gordon BB |
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 14-08-2007 13:37 |
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real-dark-knight
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I've just heard about this, it was the main feature on tonights BBC 6pm news. The biggest toy recall in history was how they described it (although I'm not sure how many mass scale toy recalls their have been). |
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 14-08-2007 16:18 |
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Chris
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Here is where you can find the complete list:
http://www.service.mattel.com/us/recall/J1944_IVR.asp?prod=
Aa for the Batman figures, it's just the Magna figures..

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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 14-08-2007 19:01 |
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FlaBat
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I'm not sending mine back, that's for sure. 
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| RE: OHHHH NOOO!!!! -
Posted on 15-08-2007 14:39 |
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inzo
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I guess I'll just have to stop chewing on mine...

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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 15-08-2007 16:35 |
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Darknight
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I was going to get my daughter a few of the DC Super Friends for her birthday, but with this second announcement, I am putting that off until Christmas. It is just a chance that I am not willing to take,
The regulations have been in place for so long, I really don't understand why the manufacturer is letting these things slip so badly.
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 15-08-2007 17:35 |
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Chris
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I understand your concerans.. but I think those are ok.. but I'll contact Toyguru and see what I can find out...

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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 19-08-2007 23:56 |
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A_Spidey_Fan
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Except for maybe the Batman, Black Careny, and Joker JLU 3 pack, some Hot Wheels Batman related items a person may want for me to get for them, and the Hot Wheels 1:18 scale 1960's T.V. Batmoible, I think I'll hold off any Mattel purcheses until at least 2008, which I'm sure by then, most of the newer safety restrictions should be properly implamented on their toys. Heck, there is a strong chance that by Christmas 2007 time, most of the Mattel toys coming out at that time should have the newer safety system.
Still, for the rest of 2007, it's not going to be a good year for Mattel after this. And this news can even affect Mattel for years to come, for parents may decide not to buy any Mattel products for their kids(Regardless of age or toyline). As well, some retailers may decide to 2nd guess on many of Mattel's toylines, for while Hot Wheels and Barbie lines will most likely always be in retail stores due to history of those lines and because they sell well, stores may 2nd guess other Mattel toylines because of this. These can include the 2008 lines for the upcoming DC 6" Classics figures, Batman: The Dark Knight, revamped JLU/DC Animated line, The Batman, Legion Of Superheroes, DC Superfriends, and more.
It won't be good for Mattel if parents take a tough stance and tell their kids that they aren't going to get them any DC Comics related toys from Mattel because of fear of them getting hurt or something. The DC Classics line(If stores do decide to order and sell them even after this scare) may end up being peg warmers mainly because of the lead and magnet scare, even if Mattel fixs the disiburition, quality control, has very good sculpts with good paint jobs, and implaments their newer safety system. And of course, an awesome line that has so much potential could be cancelled, this time do to the whole lead and magnet scare(Which I'm sure some will still count as Mattel screwing up). I've heard that many parents are no longer buying and banning Mattel products due to this safety recall.
And of course, this doesn't look good for China, whose already had to recall and pull various products that have been posioned already this year. With them hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics, it does tarnish the country's image(Or even more if it's already tarnished).
While I agree that this should not have happened, at least Mattel took responsibility instead of just saying to parents "Well, it's your problem if you bought the toys, so screw you". Hopefully, Mattel can get their act together sooner and provide reassurences to parents for 2008, espeically because of the various DC lines, otherwise the lines will probably die due to consumer's lack of confidence in the company's safety policies this time instead of stupid stuff like disribution, case ratios, etc.
Edited by A_Spidey_Fan on 19-08-2007 23:58 |
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 20-08-2007 08:57 |
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Darknight
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Thanks for checking in on it Chris. I appreciate it.
It really is not Mattel's fault on this, unless they did not properly inspect the Chinese manufacturer. The company I work for sources several things to China, and usually it is just as good as the stuff that we can get sourced here in the States, but when the Chinese company messes up, they really mess up. We're not as big as Mattel, but our vendor has had some mess ups on the same scale as the Fisher price recall.
I would guess that everything will turn out okay.
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 22-08-2007 15:00 |
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Caleson
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I noticed they showed some footage of recalled Mattel toys (include Batman) during the end credits of a recent episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, but I'm not sure if they talked much about it during the actual show.
I wonder if the collector value of the Magna figures will go up much. They've been out quite a while and are pretty dorky looking; however, that could be a reason for them to shoot up a little, considering not many collectors would have boughten them. I don't care much personally, but this event is certainly interesting enough to record in Batman toy history.
Darknight wrote:
I would guess that everything will turn out okay. Aside from some emergency surgery, millions of wasted dollars, and a suicide, I would too. 

Edited by Caleson on 22-08-2007 15:01 |
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 22-08-2007 15:04 |
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batboy99
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there was a suicide? Oui
on the other hand, this doesnt keep me from not getting the toys, cuz i dont put em in my mouth lol, plus i just put them on display
Batman YTB is the best site on the net!
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 22-08-2007 15:54 |
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kpangilinan
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Yeah, I read that if a Chinese person is disgraced in their business, they usually commit suicide. Actually the article said something more like "Suicide is common among failed businessmen" It was a Yahoo! news piece and the way they described it was blunt. I thought they could've worded it better. |
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 23-11-2007 17:22 |
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jesterswords
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oh man, I just one the Mattel Nightwing on ebay. I hope that one is okay.

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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 24-11-2007 09:26 |
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FlaBat
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None of the current The Batman, DCSH or JLU figures from Mattel were on the lists. The Batman figures on the original list have not been on shelves for over a year.
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| RE: Mattel Recalling More Toys -
Posted on 24-11-2007 10:05 |
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Chris
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jesterswords wrote:
oh man, I just one the Mattel Nightwing on ebay. I hope that one is okay.

Do You Plan On Chewing On it? 
FlaBat wrote:
None of the current The Batman, DCSH or JLU figures from Mattel were on the lists. The Batman figures on the original list have not been on shelves for over a year.
True, but I've read in a few places where parents are afraid to by Batman toys (not like they can find any..)

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