Experts on new US safety regs following Chinese-made toy recalls

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Hong Kong, September 18 2007 1. Wide pan of Product Safety Conference 2. Pan of the sign "Product Safety Conference" in English and Chinese 3. Wide of the stage 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brenda Jacobs, Counsel for Sidley Austin LLP: "You (manufacturers) also might want to think about the fact that many of you are complying with multiple standards, because your goods are being sold into different markets, Canada, Japan, Korea, the United States, Europe, they all have different standards. You know about all of them. Surely you know about which is the highest standard, and perhaps you are to be proposing to your buyers, that they all ought to meet the highest standard, that one, and use that." 5. Pan from stage to audience 6. SOUNDBITE: (Cantonese) Jeffrey Lam, Toy Advisory Committee of Hong Kong Trade Development Council: "Actually the difference with the whole situation between this year and last year, is that this year's production orders are actually a little bit more than last year's. But until the end of the year, as you (reporter) just mentioned, there are some questions about urgent orders, how to handle them, how much we can handle. We won't know until around October. If there are any, they will only come in this period." Panyu - 4 Sept 2007 7. Close of a doll being manufactured 8. Wide of workers producing toys 9. A doll being packed and put on conveyer belt STORYLINE: A lawyer representing trade associations in the United States told toy manufacturers at a seminar in Hong Kong on Tuesday that they should aim to meet the safety standards of their most exacting market. "Many of you are complying with multiple standards, because your goods are being sold into different markets, Canada, Japan, Korea, the United States, Europe," Brenda Jacobs, Counsel for Sidley Austin LLP said. "Surely you know which is the highest standard, and perhaps you are to be proposing to your buyers, that they all ought to meet the highest standard, that one, and use that," she said. Jacobs' comments came after more than three (m) million lead-tainted toys from China have been recalled worldwide since June. Since August, Mattel Inc., the world's largest toymaker, has recalled (m) millions of Chinese-made toys, including popular Barbie, Polly Pocket and "Cars" movie items, because of concerns about lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed. Chinese food, drugs and other products ranging from toothpaste to seafood are under intense scrutiny because they have been found to contain potentially deadly substances. Jeffrey Lam, chairman of Hong Kong Trade Development Council's toy advisory committee, said Chinese toy manufacturers have been proactive and pragmatic in making improvements to their toy production. "Actually the difference with the whole situation between this year and last year, is that this year's production orders are actually a little bit more than last year's," Lam said. "There are some questions about urgent orders, how to handle them, how much we can handle. We won't know until around October. If there are any, they will only come in this period," he added. Lam said it is a shared responsibility for all parties involved in the production line to ensure the products are up to standard. Analysts say increased vigilance by toymakers and storeowners could add up to 10 percent to toy prices next year. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e53366a8ce4323cd6144942ca9a60016 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork