APASCO, Mexico (AP) — Mattel Mexico, the local arm of the world's largest toy maker, on Wednesday destroyed 175,000 lead-tainted toys taken from store shelves and factories throughout the country, just as the holiday shopping season kicks into gear.
The toys — including race cars, action figures, and colored plastic dragons — had lead levels that exceed those allowed by law, said Juan Garcia Villa, director of Mexico's federal commission on product safety, known as Cofepris.
Mexico plans to strengthen laws that would stop lead-tainted toys from entering the country, Garcia Villa said.
Concerns over toy safety remain high after the U.S.-company Mattel Inc. recalled more than 21 million Chinese-made toys earlier this year, on fears they were tainted with lead paint and tiny magnets that children could accidentally swallow.
Mattel's own tests on the toys found that they had lead levels up to 200 times the accepted limit.
