More Deadly Magnetic Toys

Posted on July 12, 2007
by Maureen Keene

More than a year after the first recall of Magnetix toys which came about as the result of the death of 22-month old Kenny Sweet of Washington and serious internal injuries to dozens of other children, Mag Stix toys were (and probably still are at this writing) available on store shelves. Mag Stix are very similar to Magnetix in concept — a building set that uses small magnets in the components to attach them together. So why weren’t Mag Stix immediately removed from store shelves after Magnetix were found to be so dangerous? Why did an 8-year old girl recently have to undergo major surgery to repair serious internal injuries caused by Mag Stix??

The president of Kipp Brothers, the Carmel, IN manufacturer of Mag Stix, claims to have sent a recall letter to stores and internet customers after the Magnetix recall, but says he didn’t get much of a response. (Either he’s lying about his letter, or toy retailers completely ignored it.) He should have initiated a recall with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but even that may not have been enough. The CPSC does not have the authority to order a mandatory recall on toys (only on infant products), and instead they issue a “voluntary” recall jointly with the toy manufacturer (which retailers may or may not follow).

Even the Magnetix recall has been incomplete, according to the Chicago Tribune, since the manufacturer, Mega Brands, has done their very best to obstruct the recall including changing labels on the boxes and sending them right back out to the retailers. (When I last checked, the toys were still available at my local Target store.)

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), chairman of the appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the CPSC, is taking steps to strengthen the agency as a result of the Magnetix and Thomas & Friends disasters. He is also calling for additional scrutiny on toys and other products manufactured in China:

“The litany of products that are recalled grows by the day,” Durbin said in an interview. “It would seem to me that an American importer has a special responsibility to make sure Chinese products are tested. We have to hold the Chinese to higher standards when it comes to health and safety.”

Tell your representatives in Congress:

Increase funding and staffing for the CPSC
Authorize the CPSC to order mandatory recalls
Mandate safety testing of toys and other children’s products
Mandate inspections of overseas manufacturing facilities
Stiffen penalties for manufacturers and retailers who interfere with or fail to fully comply with a toy recall

And tell Mega Brands that you will not purchase any of their toys in the future as a result of their reprehensible handling of the Magnetix recall.

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