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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Toys recalled over safety fears | Toys recalled over safety fears |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Toymaker Fisher Price is to recall more almost one and a half million Chinese-made toys over fears that their paint contains too much lead. | |
| An internal probe found the Chinese manufacturer had used a non-approved paint pigment, violating its safety standards, the company said. | An internal probe found the Chinese manufacturer had used a non-approved paint pigment, violating its safety standards, the company said. |
| The recall affects toys that have been on sale in the US and UK since May. | The recall affects toys that have been on sale in the US and UK since May. |
| It is the latest in a series of safety scares involving goods - food, drugs and other products - made in China. | It is the latest in a series of safety scares involving goods - food, drugs and other products - made in China. |
| China has pledged to introduce tougher quality controls on products, but sought to stem international alarm over the latest incident by insisting that 99% of its exports are safe. | China has pledged to introduce tougher quality controls on products, but sought to stem international alarm over the latest incident by insisting that 99% of its exports are safe. |
| FISHER PRICE TOY RECALL 83 affected products, including Sesame Street's Elmo and Big Bird, and Nickelodeon's Dora the ExplorerRecalled items have date codes between 109-7LF and 187-7LFAffected products sold in US and UK stores from May 2007 Full list of affected products | FISHER PRICE TOY RECALL 83 affected products, including Sesame Street's Elmo and Big Bird, and Nickelodeon's Dora the ExplorerRecalled items have date codes between 109-7LF and 187-7LFAffected products sold in US and UK stores from May 2007 Full list of affected products |
| Mattel Inc, which owns Fisher Price, said the recall affected toys, including characters popular with young children such as Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo, and Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer. | |
| About 900,000 have been sold in the US with around half a million sold in the UK and elsewhere. | |
| The company said that it was removing the products from shops and would intercept incoming shipments. | The company said that it was removing the products from shops and would intercept incoming shipments. |
| "We are still concluding the investigation, how it happened," Fisher Price's general manager, David Allmark, told the Associated Press news agency. | "We are still concluding the investigation, how it happened," Fisher Price's general manager, David Allmark, told the Associated Press news agency. |
| "But there will be a dramatic investigation on how this happened. We will learn from this," he said. | "But there will be a dramatic investigation on how this happened. We will learn from this," he said. |
| Lead is toxic and can pose a health risk to young children if ingested. | Lead is toxic and can pose a health risk to young children if ingested. |
| The US Consumer Product Safety Commission urged parents to remove the affected toys from their children and contact Fisher Price. | The US Consumer Product Safety Commission urged parents to remove the affected toys from their children and contact Fisher Price. |
| Other countries, including the UK, Mexico and Canada, are reported to be affected by the recall. | Other countries, including the UK, Mexico and Canada, are reported to be affected by the recall. |
| Almost 100,000 of the affected toys have been sold in the UK and Ireland, said Mattel UK. | Almost 100,000 of the affected toys have been sold in the UK and Ireland, said Mattel UK. |
| Tainted products | Tainted products |
| China's Commerce Minister Bo Xilai insisted on Thursday that the country "attaches great importance to the quality and safety of its products". | China's Commerce Minister Bo Xilai insisted on Thursday that the country "attaches great importance to the quality and safety of its products". |
| "More than 99% of the products China exports are of good quality and are safe," he said in a statement on the ministry's website. | "More than 99% of the products China exports are of good quality and are safe," he said in a statement on the ministry's website. |
| "We hope that the relevant sides will handle Chinese products in an objective, fair and rational manner. This should not impact on the normal development of trade". | "We hope that the relevant sides will handle Chinese products in an objective, fair and rational manner. This should not impact on the normal development of trade". |
| Beijing has accused foreign media of exaggerating problems with Chinese products, but has admitted that safety standards need to improve. | Beijing has accused foreign media of exaggerating problems with Chinese products, but has admitted that safety standards need to improve. |
| In recent weeks, it has taken steps to show it is taking the issue of quality control seriously. | In recent weeks, it has taken steps to show it is taking the issue of quality control seriously. |
| Earlier this month it closed down three companies and arrested several people involved in food and drug scandals that have caused alarm both at home and abroad. | Earlier this month it closed down three companies and arrested several people involved in food and drug scandals that have caused alarm both at home and abroad. |
| It follows a series of scares in the US in recent months, involving products such as fish, seafood, toothpaste and tyres from China. | It follows a series of scares in the US in recent months, involving products such as fish, seafood, toothpaste and tyres from China. |
| In June, toymaker RC2 recalled 1.5 million Chinese-made toy trains after they were found to be coated in paint containing lead. | In June, toymaker RC2 recalled 1.5 million Chinese-made toy trains after they were found to be coated in paint containing lead. |
| Earlier this month, US President George W Bush set up a panel to look at the safety of food and other products imported into the US. | Earlier this month, US President George W Bush set up a panel to look at the safety of food and other products imported into the US. |
| The White House denied the move was aimed specifically at China, saying it is important to check all imports. | The White House denied the move was aimed specifically at China, saying it is important to check all imports. |