Toy Stores: Now with Less Lead Paint and Fewer Bratz

If you're toy-giant Mattel, you win some and you lose some. After winning a legal battle that might see those icky little Bratz dolls (Barbie's number one competitor) permanently removed from toy-store shelves, the company and its subsidiary Fischer-Price are being fined for selling Chinese-made toys that exceeded acceptable levels of lead content in their paint.


Florida's Attorney General Bill McCollum announced today the state will receive more than $587,000 from a $12 million multi-state settlement with the company. In 2007, Mattel voluntarily recalled toys that had lead levels well above federal guidelines. One item, the Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band Toys, had lead content that was over 100,000 parts per million; the acceptable level was 600 ppm. Owing to the settlement, the level is now only 90 ppm. Florida's money from the settlement will go toward monitoring and enforcing the new standards.

So rest assured, America, your children will now be safe from thong-wearing dolls and potentially harmful toy coatings. 

-- Kyle Munzenrieder