The Toxic Toy Parade will march into Kalamazoo

Instead of the parade of the toy soldiers, the United Steelworkers (USW) and dozens of allied community, environmental, health organizations, the AFL-CIO and other labor groups from across the nation are holding a toxic toy parade to demand Congress take immediate action to protect Americans from the USW says are a dangerous threat posed by the millions of lead-laced toys and other unsafe products infiltrating the country.

“The massive toy recalls this holiday season drew attention to the much larger problem of the countless dangerous imports – tires, toothpaste, fake drugs, pet food – making their way on to U.S. store shelves,” said USW President Leo W. Gerard, in a press release announced the USW “Protect Our Kids – Stop Toxic Imports” campaign set to begin Wednesday. “People are starting to realize that we’re paying the price for cheap, imported goods so corporations can make bigger profits. “

The USW is calling for support for the U.S. Food and Product Responsibility Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and in the House by U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.). This legislation would safeguard Americans against toxic food and products by shifting the responsibility on to the backs of the companies producing the goods and the importers importing them.

Over the past few months the USW Women of Steel have conducted lead screening tests in more than 25 cities across North America to educate families about the threat of lead contaminated toys and other products. They conducted Tupperwre-like house parties in people’s homes just before Christmas where they brought a toy to be tested for lead. The union is also offering the free screening kits that were used at the parties, and they are very easy to use.

In Michigan, the Toxic Toy Parade of Concerned Citizens will be visiting downtown Kalamazoo and U.S. Rep. Fred Upton’s, R-St. Joseph, office, at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16 to illustrate the importance of this issue. The Congressman will be presented with a toy for charity and a lead test kit. The office is located at 157 S. Kalamazoo Mall. A hazardous waste barrel will be available for those wishing to drop off lead contaminated toys.

Beginning with the recall of 1.5 million Thomas the Tank Engine toys in June 2007, more than 6 million toys have been recalled for high levels of lead. Lead can cause a variety of health problems, including learning disabilities, stunted growth, kidney damage and even death. Other toxic imports include lipstick, toothpaste, seafood, children’s lunchboxes and pet food.

Home parties held to test for toxic toys

As the holiday shopping season gets set to kick off, coupled with recent news of the discovery of dangerous toys with lead paint, toxic chemicals and even the date-rape drug GHB, many consumers are having misgivings that the toys they may buy are safe.

The United Steelworkers International Union’s Women of Steel Program is trying to ease that fear, protect children from toxic products and educate the public and bring awareness to unfair and unsafe trade practice by holding Tupperware-like home parties called “Get the Lead Out” parties in people’s homes, churches, schools or community centers where they bring products and test them for lead and other toxins.

“We are trying to educate the public who are concerned about this growing problem,” said Sue Browne, an organizer with the BlueGreen Alliance - a partnership between United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club - who is holding a Get the Lead Out party in her Hastings home on Sunday. “They can go home and educate their friends and family about the problem and how to test for it.

“It’s a Tupperware party with a purpose,” she said.

Over the last few months millions of toys made in China have been pulled off store shelves because the toys are made with lead, and in recent months such popular toys, such as Thomas the Tank Engine, Dora the Explorer, Hot Wheels and Barbie accessories, have been discovered containing the heavy metal and recalled. According to the Centers for Disease Control, lead accumulates and can cause brain damage, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, behavioral problems, stunted growth, impaired hearing, kidney damage and even death. Just a few days ago the popular Chinese-made toy Aqua Dots was pulled off store shelves because of a link to the date-rape drug GHB.

It’s not just toys that are being recalled because of toxins, and the recalls include toothpaste, dog food and other products.

“A lot of our manufacturing jobs are going to China, and in return we are getting back dangerous products in our homes,” Browne said. “We have laws in our country to deal with hazards like this, but other countries don’t have to live up to the same standards.”

The parties are informal affairs complete with refreshments. Linda Lucas, an organizer with the Woman of Steel – a program to get women more involved in the union – has been to some of the parties to demonstrate the lead-testing process. They use a simple test kit that involves mixing a pair of chemicals together and rubbing the product with a cotton swab dipped into the solution. If the swab turns red the product conations lead.

They ask the partygoers to bring their own toys, jewelry or baby products to test, and the simple test kits can test up to eight products if none contains lead. The kits can also be obtained from the group’s web site.

“We had a mother test her two-week old baby’s bib, and it contained lead,” Lucas said. “We also give out information where they can go on line to find out what products are being recalled; the list is just too big for us to hand it out to them.”

Browne is hosting a party that’s open to the public at 4 p.m. Sunday at her home at 2137 Lower Lake Rd. in Hastings, 49058. An RSVP is requested but not necessary at (269) 945-4443.

“I am hoping to have at least 20-30 people, but I will be happy with however many show up as long as they go back and educate their friends and family,” she said.

Another demonstration will be held at the Woman of Steel Council Meeting at 11 a.m. Monday, November 12 at the Kent Ionia Labor Council, 918 Benjamin Ave. NE in Grand Rapids.