For Lead Violations, 9 Companies are Fined (as Little as 1 Cent Per Toxic Toy)

Photo: CPSC

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Nine companies will pay a combined total of more than $500,000 in penalties for selling toys and other children's products laced with toxic lead, settling claims by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The products included toys, jewelry, pens, water bottles, sunglasses and Halloween and Easter items.

That's the headline, as written by the CPSC. It's true. It sounds good. But how much does that mean these companies paid per toy they made, imported, distributed or sold to parents, who unwittingly gave these toxic products to their children?

In most cases, not much. Of course, these companies would have paid to recall, replace and refund the items, leading to a business lost, presumably (though we imagine many toys sold are never returned for a refund, even after a recall is announced). Hopefully, they've learned their lesson. Maybe they've been put out of business through the process. Probably not.

Lead exposure can lead to permanent brain damage, behavioral changes, learning disabilities and a variety of other health problems. How much should endangering children for a profit cost a company? The CPSC states that these companies knowingly trafficked in lead-laced toys.

The following firms were fined (Mattel and Fisher-Price were previously fined at a cost of $2.56 per toxic toy):

• Cardinal Distributing Co. Inc., of Baltimore, Md.
  $100,000 for importing 900,000 children's necklaces and charm bracelets made in India
  Fine per toxic toy: 11 cents

• Dollar General Corp., of Goodlettsville, Tenn.
  $100,000 for importing 63,000 Frankenstein tumblers, 380,000 toy cars and 51,000 pairs of children's sunglasses made in China
  Fine per toxic toy: 20 cents

• Family Dollar Stores Inc., of Matthews, N.C.
  $75,000 for importing 142,000 Halloween pails made in China
  Fine per toxic toy: 53 cents

• Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., of Oklahoma City, Okla.
  $50,000 for importing 10,000 Halloween-themed baskes and 13,000 Easter egg novelties made in China
  Fine per toxic toy: $2.17

• First Learning Company Ltd., of Hong Kong
  $50,000 for manufacturing in Hong Kong 11,400 soldier bears and 15,000 wooden train sets
  Fine per toxic toy: $1.89

• Michaels Stores Inc., of Irving, Texas
  $45,000 for distributing 310,000 writing pens made in China
  Fine per toxic toy: 15 cents

• A&A Global Industries Inc., of Cockeysville, Md.
  $40,000 for manufacturing 4 million bracelets made in China
  Fine per toxic toy: 1 cent

• Raymond Geddes & Co., of Baltimore, Md.
  $40,000 for distributing 84,200 pencil case made in China
  Fine per toxic children's product: 48 cents

• Downeast Concepts Inc., of Yarmouth, Maine
  $30,000 for distributing 18,000 water bottles
  Fine per toxic product: $1.67

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