somebodyfamous
Registered User
Alex, just a sidetrack thought but wasn't there a lot of salmonella poisoning scare in the US recently because of food contamination of US grown food? I guess the safest thing is to grow our own vegetables 
UPDATE - Fisher Price /Mattel Recall
- Thread starter Neha
- Start date
It would be pretyt impossible to avoid completely products made in China....especially toys, as I believe pretty much all the world's toys are now made in China.
Despite Mattel obviously having made some mistakes I think it's still ok to buy from brand name companies- because at least they admit when there's a problem and toys are recalled.
I never buy toys from the markets in HK because you just don't know where they've been made and by who, and if there is something wrong with them, who's making sure something is done about it!
I agree with Matty- I have nothing personally against China (I have some issues with the way their govt. works, but that's another debate) and am happy to buy Chinese products as long as I can trust that they are safe!
It is difficult however to know what is safe when the factories and Chinese government do what they can to hush up and hide food, toy scares etc.
So IMO it is a good thing that Mattel finally got on top of whatever problems the factories their toys were having and hopefully have done something about it. I have no intention of throwing away all my sons Mattel and Fisher Price toys, or of never buying their toys again if made in China because to me it's unnecessary. I trust that Mattel care enough about their customers, and if not, then care enough about their brand image and ability to keep selling toys and making money enough to make sure it doesn't happen again.
I think you can ask a playgrp/kindergarten to make sure they have no recalled toys on their premises but to ask them to get rid of every toy made in China, or every Mattel/Fisher Price toy is too much- they'll be left with no toys!
Wouldn't it be nice to grow our own vegetables? But land is rather hard to come by in HK, and I don't think much grows very well in the HK soil, hence why everything is imported. We also have a govt. that is rather anti agriculture!
Despite Mattel obviously having made some mistakes I think it's still ok to buy from brand name companies- because at least they admit when there's a problem and toys are recalled.
I never buy toys from the markets in HK because you just don't know where they've been made and by who, and if there is something wrong with them, who's making sure something is done about it!
I agree with Matty- I have nothing personally against China (I have some issues with the way their govt. works, but that's another debate) and am happy to buy Chinese products as long as I can trust that they are safe!
It is difficult however to know what is safe when the factories and Chinese government do what they can to hush up and hide food, toy scares etc.
So IMO it is a good thing that Mattel finally got on top of whatever problems the factories their toys were having and hopefully have done something about it. I have no intention of throwing away all my sons Mattel and Fisher Price toys, or of never buying their toys again if made in China because to me it's unnecessary. I trust that Mattel care enough about their customers, and if not, then care enough about their brand image and ability to keep selling toys and making money enough to make sure it doesn't happen again.
I think you can ask a playgrp/kindergarten to make sure they have no recalled toys on their premises but to ask them to get rid of every toy made in China, or every Mattel/Fisher Price toy is too much- they'll be left with no toys!
Wouldn't it be nice to grow our own vegetables? But land is rather hard to come by in HK, and I don't think much grows very well in the HK soil, hence why everything is imported. We also have a govt. that is rather anti agriculture!
i threw away all of the painted plastic toys that i found in my son's toybox -- regardless of the manufacturer and/or recall status. mattel was honest enough to recall their defective toys. but who is to say that many other western brands don't have the same problem but just don't admit it!
somebodyfamous
Registered User
I noticed Great sells some organic produce but it is from China - I always get confused by that. Not sure who is testing those farms.....
The organic shop on Caine rd that Neha mentioned is quite good.
They do have a limited range, but it's great to support local industry, and hopefully the small organic farms will do well here.
i've heard you can also arrange to visit these farms, which would make an interesting excursion for children.
Back home in Oz, we always grew veges in our garden, it's a shame our kids here can't have the same experience.
It's certainly easier to get kids to eat veg that they've picked themselves!
They do have a limited range, but it's great to support local industry, and hopefully the small organic farms will do well here.
i've heard you can also arrange to visit these farms, which would make an interesting excursion for children.
Back home in Oz, we always grew veges in our garden, it's a shame our kids here can't have the same experience.
It's certainly easier to get kids to eat veg that they've picked themselves!
Matty,
Yes, you can go to some of the farms and some even sponsor courses or rent out plots for people to grow their own.
There's also a weekly market outside Revenue Tower & Immigration Tower.
For those in Sai Kung-CWB area, the Lions Nature Education Centre also allows organic farmers to sell on Sundays.
A complete list from the Hong Kong Organic Farming Association:
http://hofa.org.hk/english/farmer_market.html
The Green Earth Society shop in Sai Kung also sells organic produce, as well as more earth-friendly cleaners and so forth.
In fact, I think I'll start a new thread repeating this information called "Green Living in Hong Kong".
Yes, you can go to some of the farms and some even sponsor courses or rent out plots for people to grow their own.
There's also a weekly market outside Revenue Tower & Immigration Tower.
For those in Sai Kung-CWB area, the Lions Nature Education Centre also allows organic farmers to sell on Sundays.
A complete list from the Hong Kong Organic Farming Association:
http://hofa.org.hk/english/farmer_market.html
The Green Earth Society shop in Sai Kung also sells organic produce, as well as more earth-friendly cleaners and so forth.
In fact, I think I'll start a new thread repeating this information called "Green Living in Hong Kong".
rani
Administrator
Mattel announced a Third Recall -
The products are:
* Dream Puppy House™– orange on miniature dog
* Dream Kitty Condo™– brown on miniature cat
* Table & Chairs Kitchen Playset – yellow food on two dinner plates, brown on miniature dog, yellow and orange on potato chip bowl, orange on salad bowl
* Bathtub & Toilet Playset – brown on miniature cat
* Desk & Chair Bedroom Playset – brown on miniature dog
* Living Room Playset (deluxe) – brown on miniature cat
* Living Room Playset (premium) – yellow flower on purse
* GEOTRAX™ Rail & Road System Freightway Transport™– yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
* GEOTRAX™ Special Track Pack™ – yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
* "It's a Big Big World" 6-in-1 Bongo Band – painted decal on top of clear plastic on drum
http://www.shareholder.com/mattel/news/20070904-262639.cfm
The products are:
* Dream Puppy House™– orange on miniature dog
* Dream Kitty Condo™– brown on miniature cat
* Table & Chairs Kitchen Playset – yellow food on two dinner plates, brown on miniature dog, yellow and orange on potato chip bowl, orange on salad bowl
* Bathtub & Toilet Playset – brown on miniature cat
* Desk & Chair Bedroom Playset – brown on miniature dog
* Living Room Playset (deluxe) – brown on miniature cat
* Living Room Playset (premium) – yellow flower on purse
* GEOTRAX™ Rail & Road System Freightway Transport™– yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
* GEOTRAX™ Special Track Pack™ – yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
* "It's a Big Big World" 6-in-1 Bongo Band – painted decal on top of clear plastic on drum
http://www.shareholder.com/mattel/news/20070904-262639.cfm
Neha
Banned
agree with u completely. not only suppliers fault. the demand exists for cheap stuff out of china so importers are not willing to pay even extra usd 0.05/pc I know about it because my husband also is a exporter we see all the time customers always ask for cheaper price than last time. With labour costs and value of rmb it is impossible to do so. Importers/customers know about it but I guess either they want to make more money or their end users are not willing to pay more money.
I bought a toy in HK from ToysRus which has been recalled in the US. I rang both Toysrus and Mattel and they told me it has not been recalled in HK.
Does that mean our standards are different here or should I belive it is a different batch. They told me it is a different batch but I really have doubts. I have now put the toy away but still not sure if I should actually throw it out instead.
Does that mean our standards are different here or should I belive it is a different batch. They told me it is a different batch but I really have doubts. I have now put the toy away but still not sure if I should actually throw it out instead.
captainmal2
Registered User
Both parties are to blame - it doesn't fall squarely on China or the toy manufacturers' shoulders. Both parties knew what they were doing and the danger of using lead based paint - home and building manufacturers have had to avoid using lead based paint since 1978 for the same reason - cause the paint would peel and kids would ingest it. This is symptomatic of a largescale problem with corporate America as a whole - the idea of trading quality control for profit. Hopefully this incident will show Americans that they don't have to take it.
~Malcolm~
~Malcolm~
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