Mattel pulls Chinese-made toys for second time in two weeks

WASHINGTON -- Mattel announced recalls Tuesday for 9 million more Chinese-made toys, including popular Barbie, Polly Pocket and "Cars" movie items, and warned that more could be ordered off store shelves because of lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed.

The recalls came nearly two weeks after Mattel Inc., the nation's largest toy-maker, recalled 1.5 million Fisher-Price infant toys, also made in China, because of possible lead-paint hazards for children.

The government warned parents to make sure children are not playing with any of the recalled toys.

Nancy A. Nord, acting Consumer Product Safety Commission chairman, said no injuries had been reported with any of the products involved in Tuesday's recalls. She said the recalls were intentionally broad to prevent injuries.

Several injuries had been reported in an earlier Polly Pocket recall last November. At least one U.S. child has died and 19 others have needed surgery since 2003 after swallowing magnets used in toys, the government said.

This undated handout photo provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows a Batman action figure. Toy-making giant Mattel Inc. issued recalls Tuesday for about 9 million Chinese-made toys that contain magnets children can swallow or which could have lead paint. (AP Photo/CSPS)

The recall announced Tuesday include about 9.3 million play sets that contain small, powerful magnets. Among the toys are Polly Pocket dolls and Barbie and Tanner play sets, along with Batman and OnePiece Triple Slash Zolo Roronoa action figures and Doggie Day Care. Many of the magnetic toys are older and may have been purchased as early as 2003.

Also recalled Tuesday were 253,000 of Mattel's die-cast cars modeled after "Sarge" in the cartoon movie "Cars" that contain lead paint.

In a conference call with reporters, Mattel chief executive Bob Eckert said the company is stepping up its oversight and testing in its production processes. As a result, he noted, more recalls may occur.

"There is no guarantee that we will not be here again and have more recalls," Eckert said. "We are testing at a very high level here."

In full-page ads in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today on Tuesday, Mattel said it has "one of the most trusted names with parents" and was "working extremely hard to address your concerns and continue creating safe, entertaining toys for you and your children."

This undated handout photo provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows a Polly Pocket doll set. Toy-making giant Mattel Inc. issued recalls Tuesday for about 9 million Chinese-made toys that contain magnets children can swallow or which could have lead paint. (AP Photo/CSPS)

Tuesday's recalls were the latest blows to the nation's toy industry, which relies on China for about 80 percent of toys sold in the United States.

On Aug. 2, Mattel recalled about 1.5 million Chinese-made Fisher-Price toys -- including characters such as Dora the Explorer, Big Bird and Elmo -- that contain lead paint. In June, about 1.5 million Thomas & Friends wooden railway toys, imported from China and distributed by the RC2 Corp. were recalled because of lead paint.

Lead is toxic if ingested by young children. Under current regulations, children's products found to have more than .06 percent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

"There is no excuse for lead to be found in toys entering this country," Nord said. "It's totally unacceptable and it needs to stop."

Nord said the company has stopped selling the recalled products, instructed retailers to pull them from the shelves and made a production change. Mattel is also offering replacement products.

For information about Tuesday's recalls, consumers should call Mattel at (888) 597-6597 for information about toys with magnets, or (800) 916-4997 for information about the die-cast cars.