Mattel to take back 800,000 China-made toys in third recall

Mumbai: The world''s largest toy maker, Mattel Inc, has announced a third recall of China-made toys in as many months, saying it would take back more than 800,000 units globally that contain "impermissible" levels of lead.

It had earlier last month made a second recall of (See: Mattel recalls 18.5 million China-made toys in Round 2). The recalls include 7.3 million play sets, including Barbie doll pooper-scoop, Pollypocket sets, Batman figurines, Doggy day care toys and a toy car inspired by the Disney film, `Cars''.

The recall, the largest in the company''s history, is expected to shake consumer confidence in toys manufactured in China. (See: Recall of Chinese toys has led to factory closures: China Toy Association)

The latest action, a third major recall of China-made toys in a month, covers 675,000 Barbie doll accessories sold between October 2006 and August of this year. No Barbie dolls were included in the action.

The recall also included 90,000 units of Mattel''s GeoTrax locomotive line and about 8,900 Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band toys, both from Mattel''s Fisher-Price brand.

The Big Big World products were sold nationwide from July through August of this year, while the GeoTrax toys were sold from September 2006 through August this year.

A total of 522,000 US toys and 322,000 outside the United States are being recalled. The toys were shipped between August 3, 2006, and July 31, 2007, the company said.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission and the US House of Representatives'' subcommittee on commerce, trade, negotiated details of the latest Mattel recall and consumer protection is to hold a hearing on September 19 on how to protect US children from imported products containing lead paint.

Mattel has asked customers to go to its website (www.service.mattel.com) to establish whether they own an affected toy. After they fill out a form and send back the affected parts, Mattel will send them replacement and bonus parts.

Mattel said Holder Plastic Company, a Mattel contract vendor, which subcontracted the painting of miniature toy pets and small furniture pieces to the Chinese companies Dong Lian Fa and Yip Sing, produced the playsets affected by the latest recall.

The two companies used uncertified paint and are no longer producing toys for Mattel, Mattel added.