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Following the August 1 recall of 1.5 million toys made in China, Mattel announced today that it is recalling another nearly 9 million toys made in China, due to concerns that the toys may have lead paint or magnets that could be swallowed by children. The new recall is of play sets and die-cast cars.

Barbie, Batman, Sarge Cars, Doggie Day Care

The toys recalled include Barbie and Tanner play sets, Doggie Day Care play sets, Batman and "One Piece" action figures, and "CARS" Sarge model cars (small cars that look like a military jeep). The earlier recall was of preschool toys featuring Sesame Street and Nickelodeon characters such as Elmo, Big Bird and Dora the Explorer, sold by Fisher-Price, whose parent company is Mattel.

Eighty Percent of World's Toys Are Made in China

More than 80 percent of the toys sold around the world, including the U.S., are made in China. Mattel is one of the largest toy companies in the world. Mattel said that after the Fisher-Price recall, it launched a full-scale investigation into all of its toy factories in China. The company's new scrutiny of the facilities in China may have led to the latest discovery of lead paint.

Problems with Products Made in China

The new toy recall is the latest in a string of large recalls of products made in China — including toothpaste, tires, and other toys. The problems of poor product quality and inadequate quality assurance in Chinese factories have become a sore point in U.S.-China trade relations. In an indication of how such a scandal is dealt with in the business world in China, a co-owner of the Chinese business that made the recalled Fisher-Price toys committed suicide recently, apparently in response to the recall and the ensuing closure of the business by the Chinese government.

Mattel's Apology

Mattel apologized to its customers for the Fisher-Price recall, and said that the recall would cut their pretax operating income by about $30 million. Two-thirds of the Fisher-Price toys that were recalled were quarantined before they reached store shelves. It is not yet clear how many of the toys in the latest recall are already in the hands of customers. More information about the recalled toys is given on the company website, www.service.mattel.com/us/.

(Source: MSNBC online)

Are you concerned about a product that may have caused you or your children harm? Contact a qualified product liability lawyer today to discuss your legal rights.