Lead in Chinese products more widespread than just toys. In continuing coverage from yesterday's briefing, the AP (8/16) reports, "China's problems with lead in consumer products go far beyond tainted toys. From playthings to paint to gasoline, Chinese companies use lead in a wide range of products and experts say China's children are suffering the health consequences." While the CDC estimates that only "about 310,000 U.S. children ages 1 to 5 have blood lead levels that require treatment or other measures," research say "up to one-fifth of Chinese children tested had unsafe levels in their blood."
In a separate article, the AP (8/16) adds, "Some vinyl baby bibs made in China and sold at Toys 'R' Us stores contain lead levels well above federal safety limits for lead in paint," a California environmental group said Wednesday. "A bib with 'Winnie the Pooh' characters and store-brand bibs sold under the Koala Baby and Especially for Baby labels all tested positive for lead in concentrations three to four times what the Environmental Protection Agency allows in paint," according to the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland. The AP notes that the group "bought the four bibs at San Francisco Bay-area Toys 'R' Us and Babies 'R' Stores and contracted with a private lab that specializes in product safety to perform the tests." When notified of these results, "A Toys 'R' Us spokeswoman said tests performed in May by a lab contracted by the company found that the bibs met not just federal standards but California's more stringent limits on lead content. But more bibs were being pulled from the shelves Wednesday for further testing."
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