Lab finds lead in Chinese-made pet toys
By Gina Spadafori
September 16, 2007
For those of you who have wondered about lead in pet toys with the recalls on children’s toys, this article from Lisa Wade McCormick at ConsumerAffairs.com should get you thinking:
Two Chinese-made toys for pets sold at Wal-Mart stores contain elevated levels of lead, chromium, and cadmium, according to a forensic toxicologist whose lab tested the products for ConsumerAffairs.com.
Two veterinarians, however, said the levels of toxic metals found in the toys do not pose a health risk to dogs or cats. Whether the toys are a hazard to children and adults who handle them isn’t clear.
ConsumerAffairs.com hired ExperTox Analytical Laboratory in Texas to test four imported toys for pets — two for dogs and two for cats — for heavy metals and other toxins.
One of the dog toys — a latex one that looks like a green monster — tested positive for what the lab’s toxicologist said are high levels of lead and the cancer-producing agent chromium.
A cloth catnip toy also tested positive for “a tremendous amount” of the toxic metal cadmium, the lab said.
ExperTox also analyzed two other Chinese-made pet toys – a cloth hedgehog for dogs and a plastic dumbbell toy for cats. The lab detected cadmium in those toys, but said the levels were “about the amount you’d find in one cigarette” and not considered significant.
ConsumerAffairs.com purchased the four pet toys earlier this month at a Wal-Mart store in Kansas City, Missouri. All the toys had a tag attached that read “Marketed by Wal-Mart stores and Made in China.”
Forensic toxicologist Dr. Ernest Lykissa, Ph.D., director of ExperTox’s lab, described the levels of heavy metals in the green monster and catnip toys as potentially toxic and said Wal-Mart should pull the products off the market.
Here’s the rest. Check labels before you consider buying and (in the words of the AVMA) “use your best judgement.” My best judgment would be to return the questionable imported Chinese crap for a refund — and tell the retailer why.
Update 9/19: Wal-Mart responds in an e-mail sent through their PR firm:
After receiving test reports on Monday from the Web site representative, Wal-Mart began an immediate review and obtained samples for testing. Very quickly, we discovered that there was an error in their reports, incorrectly stating the levels were ‘parts per million,’ when in fact they were measured in ‘parts per billion.’ We contacted the writer and editor to share the error that the forensic toxicologist (not an expert in product testing) had made, and to share that the test reports actually showed levels of lead and chromium were very safe — in fact, more than 100 percent below CPSC and ASTM standards. Since the story claimed the levels were ‘toxic,’ ‘dangerous’ and ‘high,’ we asked for a retraction. At this time, they have refused to retract the story, even after the true details of the test were presented, and others have verified the tests show the products are indeed very safe. This clearly shows a lack of responsibility from this web site to the public.
There is a great deal of consumer concern today regarding product safety issues and we all share in the responsibility of ensuring the public is correctly informed. Wal-Mart takes product safety very seriously and we are stepping up our own efforts in testing toys and working with suppliers and officials to ensure high safety standards are met. We are disappointed in the actions of this group, which would rather hastily create fear and false hype than report a story based on facts and truth.” — Melissa O’Brien, Wall-Mart spokesperson
“A cloth catnip toy also tested positive for “a tremendous amount” of the toxic metal cadmium, the lab said.”
i was wondering about other paint and metal toxins . . .
Comment by straybaby — September 17, 2007 @ 9:05 am
The heavy metal, CADMIUM, can also cause “Fanconi Syndrome” symptoms in pets, the syndrome that vets are seeing in pets that ate the jerky treats.
Just cited at itchmo
http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/clerk/davis/index.php
Comment by petlover — September 17, 2007 @ 10:30 am
Sadly, no surprise here. I posted in an earlier thread that it was almost certain that lead would be found in pet toys. The ONLY way to protect our children and our pets is no STOP buying all the junk and poison made in China. This administration doesn’t give a damn - sadly, we only have the power of the purse to protect those we love.
Comment by MFEMFEM — September 17, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
I just looked around the kitchen. just the kitchen to start with. First, the pet bowls, then the pet toys, then our dishes, then My tea pots I collect, and tiny birdhouses I collect, etc. I’m buying some lead sticks this weekend. But first, I’m getting rid of all pet toys. We’re all going to end up with nothing. Are there any clothes or things even made in the USA anymore? I hope so.
Comment by Trudy Jackson — September 17, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
PlanetDog says their Orbeez Stuffed Toys are all made in the U.S.A. (Maine):
http://www.planetdog.com/dog-toys.asp
Comment by The OTHER Pat — September 18, 2007 @ 7:17 am
Ooops! That should say “Orbee-Tuff”, not “Orbeez Stuffed”!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — September 18, 2007 @ 7:17 am
Homer Laughlin China Company sells quality, lead free, dishwater and microwave safe dishes. It is an American company. I have visited HLC factory outlet store in Newell West Virginia twice this year and have found their little fruit bowls perfect for my 4 cats. You can order directly from the company or buy on Ebay. Do not buy vintage as the vintage China contained lead in the glazes way back before they knew it was hazardous. I sell Fiesta on Ebay, and am proud to sell a quality American made product. Little by little I am getting rid of China made products from my life. I end up with quality and peace of mind.
Comment by Concha Castaneda — September 18, 2007 @ 11:26 am
Trudy,
I found some organic cotton pet toys and hemp leashes and collars here: http://shop.robbinspetcare.com/
Products made in USA have that noted at the bottom of the product description. The hemp collar/leash is very strong and so much softer than nylon. I have found lots of made in USA clothes, and fair trade imported organic clothing not from China (even doggie t-shirts). Its out there, but you have to look hard, and be willing to contact corporations directly and ask point blank where they get their materials, and where they are assembled. The Öko-Tex Standard 100 is an international certification that tests for over 100 different chemicals in cloth. Clothes meeting this certification are above and beyond US standards and available online.
Comment by ango — September 18, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
Thanks everyone. i’m not going to buy one thing from china. If everyone does this, it will be felt eventually.
Comment by Trudy Jackson — September 18, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
That’s pathetic - children’s toys, pet supplies, what next?
There’s lots of toy recalls and other recalls due to lead paint - particularly children’s costume jewelry.
I now get automatic email alerts whenever there’s new recalls from http://www.leadtoyrecalls.com
Comment by AW — September 18, 2007 @ 9:54 pm
AW, That’s good to know. How do you get on the recall list? Thanks,
Comment by Trudy Jackson — September 19, 2007 @ 7:53 am
I cannot comment on whether the concentrations of contaminants are a significant hazard or not, but….
Surely Wal-Mart can come up with a better reply than the one above?
I looked over the ConsumerAffairs article and lab results, and they correctly reported the data in parts per million. 907 micrograms/kg is indeed “almost one part per million” (it’s 0.907 ppm).
Furthermore, Wal-Mart’s claim that “the test reports actually showed levels of lead and chromium were very safe — in fact, more than 100 percent below CPSC and ASTM standards” makes absolutely no sense. It is physically impossible for any concentration to be “more than 100 percent below” any level, because that’s a negative concentration. Example, if a standard is 2.0 ppm, than 100% of this standard is (surprise!) 2.0 ppm. “more than 100 percent below” this would therefore be more than 2.0 ppm below 2.0 ppm…. a physically impossible negative ppm level.
Ms. O’Brien, You do not instill confidence in THIS consumer with your pseudo-scientific nonsense. Some of us are educated well enough to see through your idiotic PR blather.
Comment by Laura — September 19, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
Update: HR3580 (regarding FDA changes) has been signed into law. Here is link to the law’s verbiage pertaining to food safety and pet food. It is Title 10, page 140 on the pdf file.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/HR3580.pdf
Comment by perkysmom — September 28, 2007 @ 7:21 am
i am soooooo glad my pets dont get anything made from china anymore. could you email me becouse i have a science project and i want to know how to test the lead in dog toys. thanks!
cat lover 14
Comment by taylor — October 18, 2007 @ 8:29 am