Toys "R" Us tightens quality control
-- Kids Today, 2/25/2008 11:51:00 AM
Toys“R”Us announced further changes to its rigorous quality assurance standards. The company has moved decisively to make these proactive changes to its safety protocols and policies, even as it continues to advocate actively for strengthened product safety standards on a national level.
The company announced the following:
NOTIFICATION TO MANUFACTURERS OF INCREASED QUALITY ASSURANCE STANDARDS AND OVERSIGHT:
The company has instructed all manufacturers who produce items for Toys“R”Us, Inc. that products shipped to the company on or after March 1, 2008 must comply with strict new standards which include:
o Significantly increasing the frequency of third-party testing, including each batch of product imported to the United States by Toys“R”Us, Inc.;
o Ensuring all product samples submitted for testing are selected by the company’s third-party, certified laboratory;
o Date-coding all products;
o Applying a more stringent standard of 90 ppm for lead in surface coatings versus the current federal standard of 600 ppm for all products manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc.;
o Requiring substrate materials to meet a standard of 250 ppm for lead versus the company’s current standard of 600 ppm for all products manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc.; and
o Using lead-screening equipment to conduct company auditing of all products at their point of origin and at various points in the supply chain.
REDUCTION OF PHTHALATES AND POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) USE:
All manufacturers have been notified that by the end of 2008, juvenile products sold in any Toys“R”Us or Babies“R”Us store in the United States must be produced without the addition of phthalates which have raised concerns about infant safety.
As the company moves closer to its goal of offering PVC-free products, it has already begun replacing PVC and phthalates in juvenile products manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc.
ELIMINATION OF NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERIES FROM ALL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED EXCLUSIVELY FOR TOYS“R”US, INC.:
The company has instructed manufacturers to immediately take steps to eliminate the use of nickel-cadmium batteries from all items manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc. This process is expected to be complete by the end of 2008.
Jerry Storch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Toys“R”Us, Inc. said, “We love kids and babies, and our commitment to their safety is non-negotiable. We continue to look for ways to raise the bar on product safety and reinforce our leadership position in this regard. We sell toys and baby products every day of the year. As such, we have made it very clear to manufacturers that we need not wait for the finalization of the much-needed tighter federal standards that are currently pending in welcome legislation before the U.S. Congress. Our customers trust and expect that we will always do the right thing when it comes to the safety of children, and we take this responsibility very seriously.”
Toys“R”Us, Inc. said that the enhancements build on the company’s high standards and extensive commitment to product safety that is detailed on its dedicated website.
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