Other LanguagesSome 25 million toys were recalled last year due to high lead content and other safety problems. Now, the Consumer Product Safety Commission hopes to intercept many of those toys and other potentially hazardous goods before they reach store shelves. The agency announced today that the Port of Long Beach in California will be the first U.S. port have a permanent CPSC presence and additional staff will be assigned to other busy cities. CPSC inspectors will work beside customs agents, looking for banned items.
“With new strategies and growing resources, I am confident that we can prevent the entry of unsafe products into our country, remove those that do find a way in and punish those who willfully disregard the safety of our consumers,” CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord said in a news release.
CBS News showed inspectors pulling aside an incoming shipment of toy cars. Brighter colors tend to have higher lead content, an inspector explained. In addition to toys, the new inspections will target cigarette lighters, fireworks, and electronics -- many of them coming from China.
Last November, we blogged about how you can keep up with product recalls by signing up to receive announcements by e-mail.