Producer recalls high lead level toys

A producer of toys and other family products is recalling a toy due to it containing an impermissible level of lead. However Sri Lanka Customs has still to monitor whether the items were coming to this country. The ‘Sarge’ vehicle, resembling a military jeep, manufactured between May and July 2007 by Mattel Inc., was the product recalled.

Recalled toy jeep

The press release issued by the company states the toy was produced by Early Light Industrial Co., Ltd, one of Mattel's contract manufacturing facilities in China, which had subcontracted painting of parts of the toy to another vendor, also in China. The required paint was not used thus violating Mattel's standards.

A senior Customs official said he was not aware of such a recall in the local market. However it was likely that many Sri Lankans travelling abroad were very likely to have bought products from Mattel and therefore must be given some awareness on this development.

Neighbouring India too has recalled toys made in China following the global recall. Plastic pre-school toys such as replicas of popular children’s television characters Cookie Monster, Elmo, Dora and Big Bird are among them. These products have been coated with paints which have an excessive amount of lead in them.