Consumer Protection

LANSING – In a move to better protect Michigan's children from toys containing toxic lead, House Democrats today passed a plan that would limit the amount of lead that can be applied to children's toys sold in Michigan.
    "Lead poisoning is 100 percent preventable and yet our children are being exposed to this poison through their toys," said State Representative Andy Coulouris (D-Saginaw), the lead sponsor of the bill that limits lead in toys. "As a parent, the recent recall of 1.5 million Thomas & Friends products stunned me. When 'The Little Engine That Could' becomes the little engine that could poison, there is no greater reminder that we must be extremely vigilant when it comes to protecting our children."
    A recall was announced earlier this month for the widely popular Thomas & Friends wooden railway toys because the red and yellow paint used to coat the toys contained lead. In 2006, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 17 children's products – involving 2.6 million units – due to the level of lead the products contained.
    Chronic exposure to lead can result in long-term effects such as brain damage, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems, including violent behavior.
    The legislation is part of a three-bill package that also would limit the amount of lead in children's jewelry and lunch boxes. The House Democrats' plan would limit the amount of lead that can be applied to children's toys sold in Michigan to 0.06 percent. Currently, there are no state laws that regulate the amount of lead in children's products. The plan also establishes civil fines for those who violate these limits, starting with $100 per item. Beginning with the third offense, the fine would be $1,000 per item, up to $50,000.
    "Michigan has the sixth-highest lead poisoning rate in the country," Coulouris said. "We need to send the message that our state simply will not tolerate companies that try to sell products that can harm our children."