Senators Durbin, Klobuchar Press for Answers in New Thomas and Friends Toy Recall

June 28, 2007 -- [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – United States Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) sent letters today to the CEO of RC2, Curtis Stoelting and to Nancy Nord, Chairwoman of the Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) asking them to detail the steps taken in the recall of 1.5 million units of Thomas and Friends toys and accessories. Certain models of Thomas and Friends toys were recently found to be tainted with toxic lead paint. The recalled toys manufactured in China and sold by the RC2 Corporation, were voluntary recalled on June 13, 2007.

In addition to asking for details of the recall, Durbin and Klobuchar’s letters ask both groups to detail the steps taken in this case and describe the safety and manufacturing standards they follow with regards to lead paint and children’s toys.

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“Recent news about this and other recalls paint a disturbing picture about the safety of products being sold to the American public,” Durbin said. “Toys tainted with lead paint are the latest example of a system of lax inspection and standards not enforced. We need to do better.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults. Swallowing large amounts of lead can lead to a verity of ailments from severe stomachache to brain damage. Even at lower levels of exposure, lead can affect a child's mental and physical growth. Small children can be exposed to this health risk by eating lead-based paint chips, chewing on objects painted with lead-based paint, or swallowing house dust or soil that contains lead.

“As a former prosecutor and a member of the Commerce Committee which oversees product safety it’s clear that the CPSC has a lot to answer for,” said Klobuchar. “When Americans buy products, they might not always last long but they ought to be safe. American families are directly affected by these product recalls from China, in some cases children have died, which cements the need for change. I intend to aggressively pursue this issue with Senator Durbin.”

Durbin, who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the CPSC, has taken the lead in the Senate on consumer safety issues. Earlier this month, Senator Durbin held a field hearing in Chicago on the issue of toy safety. Chairwoman Nord testified following a series of news reports of dozens of injuries and one death caused by popular, magnetic, children’s toy. Tiny magnets were breaking off of the toy, Magnetix Magnetic Building Sets, and were causing sever intestinal injuries after children swallowed them.

In May, Durbin sent a letter to Chairwoman Nord asking her to explain the steps taken in the Magnetix case. Prior to the hearing Durbin met with Nord to discuss the case and to talk about the larger issue of toy safety.

Source: Senator Dick Durbin