Jan Stegelman, coordinator of Safe Kids Kansas, talks about toy safety
Jan Stegelman, coordinator of Safe Kids Kansas, talks about toy safety.
Topeka — U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Kan., on Friday said the Consumer Product Safety Commission hasn't done a good job inspecting toys, and she called for the resignation of its leader.
"If she is unwilling or unable to keep our kids safe, then we need to replace her with somebody that is," said Boyda, whose 2nd congressional district includes western Lawrence.
Nancy Nord, acting chairman of the CPSC, has been under fire for lax enforcement amid a record number of recalls of lead-tainted toys, many of them made in China, and other problems. She also has been criticized for accepting free travel from industries the commission regulates.
Democrats also were angered when Nord in October opposed a measure that would have authorized more staff.
Nord, a Bush administration appointee, has resisted calls to resign, defended her record on enforcement and earlier this month said she welcomed more resources for the agency.
In addition to wanting Nord to resign, Boyda said she supports legislation in Congress that would ban lead in toys, establish new product safety and testing standards, and increase penalties against companies that produce dangerous products.
Jan Stegelman, coordinator of Safe Kids Kansas, said even though most toys are safe, "Parents are justified in their concern about toy safety."
Stegelman offered these tips for buying safe toys:
¢ Sign up for recall e-mails at www.cpsc.gov.
¢ Buy age-appropriate toys. Do not buy toys with small parts for children younger than 3.
¢ Identify choking hazards. Do not let a small child play with anything that can fit through the cardboard tube from a roll of toilet paper.
¢ Buy proper safety gear for riding toys, such as a scooter, skateboard, skates or a bicycle.
¢ Inspect toys to make sure they are in good repair.
¢ Actively supervise children playing with any toy that has small parts, moving parts, electrical or battery cords, wheels or any other potentially risky components.
Comments
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merrill (anonymous) says…
Good for Boyda. Consumers must understand that when corporate america takes jobs abroad it is not only for the slave labor. China and no other country has to conform to USA safety regulations placed on toys,electronics or food/meat thus avoids all sorts of inspections. The question becomes does corporate america provide the specs on USA in name only products?
If americans stop buying USA in name only products they will return to the USA quicker that anyone can say George W. Bush is a bad president and the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and DCDI are in bed together.
KsTwister (anonymous) says…
Boyda is right. Good job! I would hate to injure someone's child from a gift I gave.
jimincountry (anonymous) says…
Just as Boyda seemed to me to be striving for statesman-like congessional behavior, she makes us painfully aware that she's just another demogrunt politician.
And I thought I didn't want Ryan back in office.
The whole damn bunch should be furloughed and their salaries forfeited until they ...........! Who knows when, if the Reids and Pelosies keep undermining the country.
Agnostick (anonymous) says…
This is a sham. parkay, STRS, helen westover, "gypsynatalie," artychoketart, Pilgrim, SummersEve, and other rightwing extremists want large numbers of children maimed, blinded, poisoned, sickened, infected, and electrocuted, so their favorite corporate suits will have plenty of profits, from which to provide their shame political organizations with bloodstained "contibutions." These types of "pro-life" hypocrites care nothing about babies living or dying, pre-natal or post-partum, except where monetary gain and media exposure are concerned.
Works both ways, doesn't it folks? :)))
You generally end up with "unsafe" products when you go with the lowest bidder. You want quality? You get what you pay for. It's time to bring manufacturing jobs back home where they belong.
Agnostick
agnostick@excite.com
http://www.uscentrist.org
http://www.americanplan.org
Lynn731 (anonymous) says…
I think Boyda should resign. Thank you, Lynn
Godot (anonymous) says…
Get to the root of the problem, Nancy. Do a Pelosi, and go straight to China and give them a piece of your mind. Tell them if they do not stop poisoning our children, you are going to stop talking to them. That'll show 'em.
Godot (anonymous) says…
Better yet, Nancy, threaten to return all their campaign contributions. That will really hurt them.
Godot (anonymous) says…
In the interest of being fair and balanced, I post this link so that readers have an opportunity to read Nord's side of the story:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.a...
I see that Nord has already done what I suggested Boyda do: she went to the source, China, and negotiated with them for more vigorous product inspections and product safety compliance on the China side of the sea.
Godot (anonymous) says…
I know, lets require every high school graduate to spend two years in Consumer Safety Service as a product tester so that each and every product that arrives on the shores of the US is properly tested before it reaches the consumer.
The other option is to stop importing manufactured goods altogether.
Oh, wait, that is what the unions want, anyway, isn't it?
KsTwister (anonymous) says…
Its a sad state of affairs that some people have already lost loved ones and our "watch dogs" slept on the job.