Lunch boxes (from China) distributed through the Department of Public Health tainted with lead

[Kadie]

Sep 20, 2007 5:27 pm US/Pacific

Lead Levels In CDPH Lunchboxes Prompts Warnings

(AP) SACRAMENTO State officials on Thursday urged consumers not to use some 56,000 potentially lead-tainted lunch boxes from China that were distributed through the Department of Public Health in an effort to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Tests found elevated levels of lead in three of the boxes, officials said.

The boxes were given out at health fairs and other events and carried a logo saying "eat fruits and vegetables and be active."

"Certainly it's unfortunate that an item we're using to hopefully promote healthy behavior is then discovered to be a potential health hazard," the department's director, Mark Horton, said in a conference call with reporters.

He said a swab test conducted by the Sacramento County Health Department in July indicated that the boxes contained lead.

more...
http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_263192933.html

[hatrack]

1. Yes, I agree - "unfortunate" does kind of capture the essence of the situation.

Thank you, Mr. Horton.

:eyes:

[Raejeanowl]

2. Not To Become An Alarmist

But is anyone else cringing away from ANYTHING and EVERYTHING made in China recently as if it were potentially poisoned?

And yes, this story is horribly ironic.

[Bobbieo]

3. Yeah - More or less cringing!

[Cobalt Violet]

6. Yep.

I avoid it as much as I can. I've lost my appetite for Chinese food too. I don't trust the ingredients. Why should we blindly trust anything from China again? I can't think of a good reason.

[Vilis Veritas]

4. Cheap shit is cheap shit.

Doesn't matter where it comes from you need to be aware of the risk anytime you buy something.

It isn't just China we need to be concerned about. It is the corporate greed that fuels the need to make ever cheaper and crappy shit to feed the crazy desires of the mass consumer machine.

It will take a thousand years to rip the programming from the brains of the masses and I suspect that it will not happen. Therefore there is only one course of action for consumers that have made themselves knowledgeable, stop buying the cheap shit, know your sources and measure wants vs needs and TEACH your children to understand - ok, so that was 4 things...;-)

No Fear.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. I am looking very skeptically at many pots and pans and dishes

and mugs in my kitchen that I clearly recall seeing the made in China on the box. I am going to get some lead testing thingies, just to be sure. Anyone know a good source for lead testing supplies?

[Fridays Child]

7. Are we all slowly being poisoned? Is lead in everything?

This is starting to look like a national disaster. Is this what we get for being the greediest consumers in the history of the world?

[rucky]

8. Isn't that the same way Rome fell?

or so the story goes... lead in the pipes poisoned the ruling class (those with access to the plumbing).

[LongTomH]

9. And the hits just keep on coming!

Chinese-Made Cribs Recalled After Three Children Die

Sept. 21 (Bloomberg) -- The maker of Graco and Simplicity cribs recalled 1 million Chinese-made cribs after three children died, while Mattel Inc., the world's largest toymaker, apologized to China and took the blame for design flaws in its toys.

Two infants died after the ``drop-side'' of an older-style crib made by Simplicity for Children Inc. was installed upside down, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said today in a statement. The agency is investigating the death of a third child in a newer-style crib that wasn't recalled.

<snip>

Since August, Mattel has recalled 21 million Chinese-made toys for excessive lead paint and loose magnets that may detach.

[Tansy_Gold]

10. This is why I'm suspicious about Mattel's "apology"

Okay, maybe Mattel was partly at fault. Maybe there were design flaws in the toys. And maybe they weren't specific enough about the acceptable level of lead in the paint. But it sure seemed strange to me, given ALL the problems with consumer items imported from China lately, that only Mattel was apologizing and taking the blame.

Were they strong-armed by the Chinese government?

:tinfoilhat:

I also know that there are U.S. companies that ship goods to other countries that would not meet U.S. safety standards.

But, it just raises red flags in my suspicious little mind, and I can't help but think that maybe the Chinese government is subtly telling Mattel, "Hey, shut up about the lead or you ain't gonna be makin' your toys here at billions of dollars profit."

Tansy Gold, who is not usually tinfoilhatty

[LongTomH]

11. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

Tansy_Gold wrote:

Okay, maybe Mattel was partly at fault. Maybe there were design flaws in the toys. And maybe they weren't specific enough about the acceptable level of lead in the paint. But it sure seemed strange to me, given ALL the problems with consumer items imported from China lately, that only Mattel was apologizing and taking the blame.

Were they strong-armed by the Chinese government?

That's right! That's right! You win the $64,000.:yourock: