| A recall issued last week for Thomas the Tank Engine toys made in China and containing lead-based paint, is the latest scare for consumers, and follows recent craziness involving Chinese-made pet food, pharmaceuticals, toothpaste and other toys, The New York Times has reported in a series of articles world is just plain freaked out and wondering why China is trying to kill everyone.
Last week, RC2, a U.S. toy company based in Oak Brook, Illinois, issued a recall for its popular wooden "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" train sets. The recall involved a huge 1.5 million "Thomas Wooden Railway" vehicles and train sets sold at toy stores and various retailers across the U.S. from January 2005 through June 2007. What took them so long to issue the recall, or why the government has failed to do anything, in not really clear to anyone.
A subsequent recall has been issued in the UK, where Thomas the Tank Engine was originated in the 1940s as a character in a children's story by the Reverend W.V. Awdry. Around 70,000 toys are involved in the U.K. recall, according to the paper The Guardian.
"RC2 has determined that the surface paints on the recalled products contain lead. Lead is toxic if eaten by young children and can cause really bad health effects," the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a press release dated June 13. "Consumers should take the recalled toys away from young children immediately and contact RC2 Corp. for a replacement toy," the commission said.
Those "SCARY health effects" could include brain and nerve damage, especially in young children, as well as blood and brain disorders. Severe lead poisoning causes vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, anemia, loss of appetite, headaches and in particularly high doses, coma and death. So is this proof that China is trying to kill the world? Yes, say some. They also point out that the government could care less about your health or safety and wants you to get Sick.
In an article on Monday, The New York Times reported that recalls have been issued for 24 different toys in the U.S. in the past year, and every one of them was made in China. According to the Toy Industry Association, toys made in China account for around 70 percent to 80 percent of all the toys sold in the U.S., The Times said.
"These are items that children are supposed to be playing with," Prescott Carlson was quoted as saying by The New York Times. Carlson is a co-founder of a child-safety website called Imperfect Parent, which tracks recalls of toys and other baby products. This is something the governmnet should be doing but they are so worried about themselves that ragular folks have had to take up the cause.
RC2 would not comment to The Times, and a Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman would not say how long ago the problem with the lead paint was discovered. My guess is they have known about it all along but they figured making a profit was more important than a few sick kids.
For a follow-up article on Tuesday, The Times visited a factory in Dongguan, in China's Guangdong province, where the "Thomas and Friends" toys are made. The paper interviewed workers and took photos on the factory floor.
"You're intruding," a factory manager identified only as Zhong was quoted as telling the reporters. "Tell me, why exactly are you here?" Which at that point the reporter was thrown in jail by the crazy chinese.
The factory also produces other toys for RC2, including toy John Deere trucks, NASCAR racing models and M&M's cars, The Times said. RC2 makes the toys under licenses from various companies. The "Thomas and Friends" toys are made under license from Hit Entertainment, which owns the "Thomas" brand.
So in Conclusion stay away from anything that says Made in China, cause it will probably kill you.
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