LANSING – About 20 people attended a town hall meeting in Holt on Monday hosted by State Representative Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga), to discuss the dangers of lead poisoning in children's toys.
"As a children's advocate, this issue is extremely important to me, and I was pleased to see such a great turnout," Byrum said. "Lead poisoning is 100 percent preventable, and we must do everything we can to protect our children from this toxic substance."
Byrum was joined at the town hall by Burt Russell, an inspector and risk assessor with Professional Service Industries, who conducted lead tests on toys brought by parents. None of the toys showed traces of lead.
In September, Mattel announced its third massive toy recall of the year after discovering that more of its toys made in China were tainted with toxic 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.
Michigan currently does not have laws that regulate the amount of lead in children's products. The House, however, has passed a three-bill package that would limit the amount of lead that can be applied to children's toys sold in Michigan to 0.06 percent. 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. The plan also would limit the amount of lead in children's jewelry and lunch boxes.
"Michigan remains among the top 10 states for lead poisoning, and that is simply unacceptable," Byrum said. "By establishing civil fines, and hitting offenders in the pocketbook, our legislation sends the message that our state will not tolerate companies that care more about their bottom line than about our children's safety."