$12 Million Multistate Settlement with Toy Maker over Lead Recalls

$12 Million Multistate Settlement with Toy Maker over Lead Recalls

39 states join effort to make toys safer

TALLAHASSEE, FL/December 15, 2008 – Florida will receive more than $587,000 as part of a $12 million multistate settlement with toy maker Mattel, Inc. and subsidiary Fisher-Price, Inc. The settlement resolves a 16-month investigation into the events surrounding a voluntary recall of the companies’ toys for excessive levels of lead paint in 2007.

One toy, the Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band Toys, tested for escessive high levels of lead paints.

"As the holidays draw nearer and people are doing a lot of shopping for the children in their lives, I am pleased this settlement will remove some uncertainty about the lead content in popular toys for the holiday season," said Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum.

From August 2007 through October 2007, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled approximately two million Mattel and Fisher-Price toys manufactured in China, alleging the toys contained excessive lead in accessible surface coatings. At the time of the recalls, the Commission’s standards permitted lead in accessible surface coatings to be at 600 parts per million (ppm).

Lead levels taken of the recalled toys during the course of the states’ investigation revealed that levels not only exceeded the federal standard, but in some instances tested over 10,000 ppm to 50,000 ppm. One toy, the Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band Toys, tested over 100,000 ppm. Approximately two million Mattel toys were recalled, and a significant number of toys manufactured before November 30, 2008 and not recalled underwent further testing, which resulted in some additional recalls.

The agreement reached by the Attorneys General requires more stringent standards for accessible lead effective for toys manufactured after November 30, 2008. Mattel will immediately drop the acceptable lead level in surface coatings from 600 to 90 parts per million. This imposition of stricter standards means all toys manufactured by Mattel as of November 30, 2008 will meet the new 90 parts per million standards.

The standards will be enacted ahead of the deadlines called for in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, passed by Congress earlier this year. Under the settlement, Mattel must also notify the Attorneys General if the company confirms excessive lead levels in any of its products which would violate state or federal law and will work with the states to remedy any such violations.

The states were led by an Executive Committee consisting of Assistant Attorneys General in Florida, Arizona, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vermont. California also took part in negotiations, reaching a separate agreement under its Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act. Florida’s share of the settlement is $587,000, which will go toward future monitoring and enforcement in this area.

More information about toy recalls can be obtained online at the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, http://www.cpsc.gov. Consumers may also call the CPSC Recall Hotline at 1-800-638-2772. Shopping tips for parents are available online at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08086.html.