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Lead found in vinyl diaper bags, changing pads
Illinois attorney general seeking recall
By Anna Marie Kukec | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 3/25/2008 2:53 PM | Updated: 3/26/2008 12:12 AM
The Illinois attorney general's office said Tuesday it would ask major retailers to pull more baby products off the shelves
due to high levels of lead.
Various brands of vinyl diaper bags, along with their attached changing pads and other components, had lead levels two
to nine times higher than lawfully acceptable. One changing pad had eight times the acceptable level of lead, according to
a report by Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health.
"U.S. companies know that lead shouldn't be in children's products, even if they are manufactured overseas,"
said Cara Smith, the attorney general's deputy chief of staff for policy and communication.
Smith said the products were made in China and imported without a problem since no federal law limits such items.
Illinois has one of the toughest laws nationwide regarding lead poisoning prevention. The law was passed in 2006 and bans
any children's product that contains more than 600 parts per million of lead.
The Center for Environmental Health contacted the attorney general's office on Monday, requesting it cooperate on a massive
recall to get these items off store shelves.
"We began investigating this after one of our staff received a baby diaper bag as a gift and asked us to test it
for lead," said Caroline Cox, the center's research director.
Smith said her office is working with the center and then will contact retailers in the next day or two. The state will
ask retailers to immediately remove the items from their shelves.
According to the center, products that tested positive for lead include "Baby Got Bag," Disney's "Dolly"
and "Baby Necessities" at Kmart; "George" at Wal-Mart; and Carters "Out 'N About" at Babies
R Us.
"Kmart takes our customers' safety very seriously, and we've worked with environmental groups and the Consumer Product
Safety Commission to create safe standards for lead levels in our products," said Kimberly Freely, spokeswoman for Kmart
parent Sears Holdings Corp. in Hoffman Estates. If Kmart determines there is a concern, it will pull the products from the
shelves, she said.
"All of our vendors are required to meet all regulatory safety standards including those relating to lead,"
Freely said.
Spokesmen at other retailers were unavailable for comment.
Removing already-sold products from homes is a different matter.
"It's virtually impossible to put a genie back in the bottle," Smith said.
Last August, the attorney general and the California group went after retailers that sold vinyl baby bibs with high levels
of lead.
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posted by Mara on Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:09 PM
Are these products from China? The Illinois Attorney General's Office did the right thing by issuing a recall of the diaper
bags. The public needs to be protected from cheap, third rate products.
posted by nvno50 on Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:41 PM
The companies should be doing the testing to verify there is no lead in the products. Companies should police themselves,
I'd rather the Attorney General's office be focusing on putting violent offenders behind bars. Half the consumer products
in the US are imported. If we over protect and eliminate these imports everyone would be paying twice as much for products.
posted by cynic on Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:21 PM
When will we figure out that made in the U.S.A. means something. I means that It was made by Americans, who need jobs,
and will spend their money in America, instead of waiting for a support check.
It means that because lead paint is baned in the U.S.A. it will not be used in the production of any products. Regulations
in the U.S.A. are far more stringent than any in China, India, Mexico, Guatemala, Indonesia, or any other nation that can
provide "cheap" labor.
That labor is cheap until we have to recall products, have our children tested for lead and other hazardous chemicals.
It's cheap until a family dies in a fire started by faulty furnace parts made with low quality materials in a foreign country,
or the children die in a fire because their P.J.s weren't fire retardant, as required by U.S. standards
It's sick.
It hurts our people.
It hurts our economy.
I would rather pay twice the price if it means my family is safe.
I would rather pay twice the price if it means my neighbor has a job.
posted by bulls2319 on Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:00 PM
Made in the USA means a ton.
Nothing like, Made in the USA IF you can find such items....
OUR BABY DIAPERS ARE 100% MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA) AND HAVE NO LEAD PROBLEMS....PLEASE CLICK HERE
TO VISIT OUR DIAPER PAGE AND BUY BABY DIAPERS "MADE IN THE USA"
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