The stories are coming all too often. First it was pet foods, then toothpaste, what next…..
Posted by HCooper on August 2nd, 2007American consumers have good reason to be cautious as product after product — all originating in China — have been yanked off U.S. shelves. Here is a list, based on alerts from the responsible U.S. agencies, of some of the is year’s problem products:
Research by Kristin Deasy
Easy-Bake Oven: 249 reports of children getting their hands or fingers caught in a small opening in the oven, including 77 burns (16 of which were second- and third-degree). Manufactured by Hasbro and distributed by Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Target and KB Toys through July. Oversight agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Seafood: The Food and Drug Administration has asked importers to provide third-party laboratory results for all catfish, basa, shrimp, dace and eel from China. All repeatedly contained drug traces, prompting multiple alerts to retailers, including Wal-Mart, and restaurants, including Red Lobster. China is among the top three seafood exporters to the USA, and the FDA rejects more seafood imports from China than from any other country. Product alert: July. Oversight agency: FDA.
Tires: At least two people died in car accidents linked to faulty tires made in China; 450,000 tires were recalled because they were sold without the “gum strip,” or the piece that keeps the treads from separating and the tire from coming apart. Manufactured by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber and sold under brand names Compass, Telluride, Westlake and YKS. Product alert: June. Oversight agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Toothpaste: Four products — Cooldent Fluoride, Cooldent Spearmint, Cooldent ICE and Shir Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste — were found to contain diethylene glycol, which is toxic and potentially fatal. Manufactured by Goldcredit International Trading and Suzhou City Jinmao Daily Chemicals Co. Product alert: June. Oversight agency: FDA.
Pet food: 4,150 U.S. pet deaths have been linked to pet food with wheat protein tainted with toxic chemicals; 5,300 product lines were affected. Product alert: April. Oversight agency: FDA.
Lawn trimmers: Pieces could fly off while in use, becoming dangerous projectiles. Some units also overheated. There were 58 injuries out of 707 incidents reported. The GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmer/Edgers are manufactured by Black & Decker and were distributed through January. Oversight agency: CPSC.
Remote-control airplanes: 45 airplanes exploded. Twenty-two consumers reported that their hearing was affected or pained; 10 reports of other injuries. The Model 4116 Sky Rangers Park Flyer planes were distributed through December by Estes-Cox Corp. Oversight agency: CPSC.
