Has anyone seen this yet? This makes me ill.

[Former_Member]

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

[Former_Member]

That is something else.... I don't even know what to say...the strength of these corporations is such that they work all kinds of deals and such.

[Former_Member]

Interesting in the article is this :

"While Congress mandated the third-party testing, the commission in January said it would delay enforcement for a year of some of the testing requirements for phthalates and lead content — though many companies are doing the tests anyway."

Of course Mattel uses phthalates to make those vinyl toys and dolls so soft. And why the delay on testing? I sure would like to know the "deals" being struck in hidden boardrooms.

Only a couple minutes ago, I started a thread on PVC pthylates in the forums: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6265666

[Former_Member]

There is an existing thread about this already at http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6264330

[Former_Member]

Stinks to high heaven.

[DeNovoStyle]

Yes, kind of sickening. They should still be randomly tested outside the company, and should bad results still be found, threatened with lawsuits.

[Former_Member]

Oh Dear. yes yes, it stinks to High Heaven.
Good grief, what is happening to this country?

[Former_Member]

The only possible thing that could be a positive for this, would be if we were to get hauled into court for non-compliance. I would make damn sure I use Mattel as an example. It seems like some very nasty civil/class actions suits could come from this bit of stupidity.

[woolies]

I want to march on Washington. Stage a protest. Boycott Mattell.

[mkdesigner]

Ticks me off ... not overly surprised the biggie would get preferential treatment, but it still ticks me off.
Marge in Reno

[ksewingbasket]

Absolutely nuts.....

[Former_Member]

I don't even know what to say to this... I am speechless! Definately boycott mattel and fisher price.

[DancingWindDesigns]

That's not surprising at all, but it does give homebased "toymakers" good grounds for a suit.

[Former_Member]

marking

[Former_Member]

Just not fair is it:(

I live right outside of DC now. Woolie and birch you guys can come stay with me...make it a party too...LOL

[Former_Member]

I imagine if we wanted to set up our own validated labs in our homes to do testing, we could probably get a waiver too, but I imagine that would cost more than the 3rd party testing.

[woodponddesigns]

that ticks me off too. Money Talks

[Former_Member]

It does seem a bit 'off' somehow. However, it seems most of Fisher Price's products are now plastic (as opposed to the wood/metal that were painted in bygone years)...so it's doubtful that as least this part of Mattel would have a lead problem.

[Former_Member]

We need to scream loud and hard to the CPSC to allow component testing for small businesses like ours. I for one do not have the finances to test again. All of my components are already tested and I should not have to retest.
Here is a link to the CPSC contact page:

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/contact.html

[Former_Member]

This really seems a little crazy that they would have been allowed to do this, but money does talk unfortunately. I wish that people would not allow things like this to happen :(

[Former_Member]

patspotpourri says:
It does seem a bit 'off' somehow. However, it seems most of Fisher Price's products are now plastic (as opposed to the wood/metal that were painted in bygone years)...so it's doubtful that as least this part of Mattel would have a lead problem.
________________________________________________________
Unfortunately the majority items recalled in 2007 where because the pigment in the plastic contained lead. So there is great doubt that even plastic is safe atleast as far as lead concerned.
As for Mattel and all doing their own in house testing, they were doing the testing inhouse in 2007 as well and the USA still received over 7 million of these tainted products from the various companies before the inhouse labs reported to the CPSC that the lead levels maybe high and that the products should be recalled. So what is the difference now? You still have the same labs that did the faulting initial testing and day late reporting in the first place now purportedly doing the testing of their own companies' products at the more stringent levels. Does the govenment really think our memories are that short that we could forget what precipitated this law to begin with.

[Former_Member]

Just noted that one of Mattel's labs is in China!
Also, the same group of elected officials that brought us CPSIA, Henry Waxman/Bobby Rush in particular, have moved on to taking over our Healthcare!
Helene

[Former_Member]

Gee, the one company that had all the problems with toxins in toys is the one company being exempted. Imagine that.

[SewFunDollClothes]

I can't even read articles like that any more. It's been such an emotional roller coaster this past year with implementation of the totally over-reaching law, all it's changes, the ambiguity of what applies to whom, and now the required tracking labels. I quit sewing for awhile because it was all just too overwhelming and depressing (ok - could be I'm low on reserves from babysitting 5 yr old granddaughter every day! lol), and have just recently dusted off the sewing machine again. I just have to stay away from articles like the one linked here ... don't want to sink into depression again!

Sorry this is so long ... but thanks for letting me blow off steam!

[Former_Member]

TheHumbleSeamstress says:

Also, the same group of elected officials that brought us CPSIA, Henry Waxman/Bobby Rush in particular, have moved on to taking over our Healthcare!
---------------------------------

Oh jeez... Canada, here we come!