Chinese import woes

[styky]

Canada to review legislation on importing toys to toothpaste to address safety
CAMILLE BAINS



VANCOUVER (CP) - Health Minister Tony Clement says the Canadian government is putting together a plan to deal with counterfeit and dangerous imported products.

Clement told a meeting of the Canadian Medical Association on Monday that recent concerns about lead in toys from China and bacteria in toothpaste from South Africa pose major safety concerns. Clement said parents have the right to know their children's health won't be compromised because of dangerous products that Canada imports.

He later told reporters the government will review gaps in legislation, standards and regulations when it comes to foreign goods - including food - coming into Canada.

"What I've said to my reviewers is that this cannot languish on for months, that it really has to be a full-scale review, that it really has to come to a conclusion, knowing full well that there's a fall sitting of Parliament," Clement said.

The minister said the Hazardous Products Act has not been amended in at least 10 years but meanwhile, the amount of foreign products being manufactured by some countries has doubled and tripled in recent years.

During his speech, Clement also told the meeting of doctors that his government is preparing to roll out an anti-drug campaign for young people.

"Canada has not run a serious or significant anti-drug campaign for almost 20 years and the messages young people have been receiving during the past several years have been confusing and conflicting, to say the least," he said.

"We are very concerned about the damage and pain that drugs cause families and we intend to reverse the trend toward vague, ambiguous messaging that has characterized Canadian attitudes in the recent past," Clement said.

The minister noted that the United Nations office of Drugs and Crime has found 16.8 per cent of Canadians between the ages of 15 and 64 smoke marijuana.

He said that's the highest rate of any country in the world and the figure is almost equal to the number of tobacco smokers in Canada.

Clement's department said the government will aim to reduce the number of Canadians smoking tobacco to 12 per cent by 2011 from 19 per cent in 2006.

The Health Department also wants to reduce the number of teenagers aged 15 to 17 who smoke to nine per cent from 15 per cent.

At a news conference, Clement was asked what he will do about Vancouver's safe-injection site, which has been allowed to operate until Dec. 31.

At the facility, called Insite, IV drug users shoot up their own cocaine and heroin under a nurse's supervision. But to operate, it must be granted an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Insite is the only such clinic in North America. It opened four years ago as a pilot project but its future is uncertain because an extension to the exemption expires at the end of the year.

On Friday, two addicts and the Portland Hotel Society, a group that runs the facility, filed a lawsuit saying Ottawa should no longer have any say on Insite's future.

The lawsuit argued Insite should be exclusively under the jurisdiction of the province, which pays its costs.

About 24 studies in top international journals, including the Lancet and the British Medical Journal, have suggested the safe-injection site reduces the chance of addicts contracting blood-borne infections such as HIV because they're given clean needles before they inject themselves.

"We've said that we want to make sure that the research has been comprehensive," Clement said about Insite.

He said that since he extended the exemption to keep the clinic open until the end of the year, more research has been conducted.

"Some of it has been questioning of the research that has already taken place and questioning the methodology of those associated with Insite and the research that they've done," he said.

Colin McMillan, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said Insite must be considered part of a broad approach to dealing with illicit drugs, including prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

Doctors at the four-day meeting adopted various resolutions Monday, agreeing to urge the federal government to develop a Canada Extended Health Services Act to deal with medically necessary services not covered by medicare.

They include long-term care and prescription drugs for people who don't have a private health plan to pay for the majority of such costs.

McMillan said the government may have to consider unique approaches, including an RRSP-type plan aimed specifically at future health-care costs that would have the government give people tax breaks for saving money to pay for their health costs years later.

Several countries in Europe are looking at similar schemes, he said.

Dr. Brian Day, the incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association, said there are big gaps in the Canada Health Act, which needs to be modernized to meet people's needs, including prescription drugs.

"To me, it's inconsistent that drug treatment is not included in the realm of the Canada Health Act," he said, adding Canada is one of the only countries with universal health care but no national drug plan.

<a href=http://www.recorder.ca/cp/National/070820/n0820153A.html>source</a>

[styky]

Wal-Mart Quietly Pulled Dog Treats

Retailer blocked sale after customers complained that animals falling sick


August 21, 2007
The Associated Press/ MSNBC

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quietly stopped selling two brands of dog treats in July, after customers voiced concerns that the Chinese products may have caused their pets to fall ill, but no recall has been announced, a company spokeswoman confirmed.

The world’s largest retailer started pulling Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading on July 26, spokeswoman Deisha Galberth said late Monday.

Wal-Mart also placed a computerized block on all cash registers to prevent workers from selling the products, Galberth said.

'TESTING PROCESS'

“When we took it off shelves at the end of July, we pulled it based on the customer feedback so we could do testing prior to announcing anything publicly,” Galberth said. “That’s why did not make a public announcement — it was still going through the testing process.”

Wal-Mart’s action follows a massive pet food recall in March, when retailers began pulling products made in China that included the chemical melamine — a contaminant that’s a byproduct of several pesticides.

Galberth said she did not know what the specific customer complaints were about the dog treats, nor when the testing would be complete.

Galberth said she did not immediately know if the treats were sold at every Wal-Mart store.

“We are diligently testing this product,” she said.

Philadelphia television station WPVI reported last week that a woman claimed her 2-year-old Chihuahua died after eating Bestro Chicken Jerky Strips. The station reported that an autopsy found the dog died of an infection caused by toxic bacteria.

© 2007 The Associated Press.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20367400/

[styky]

The New Chinese Take-Out
By Michael E. Telzrow
Published: 2007-08-20


Lucia Cruz, a 74-year-old Panamanian grandmother, and at least 365 of her countrymen died last year from ingesting tainted medicine. Somehow a deadly chemical had found its way into cough syrup produced in a government laboratory. What Panamanians thought was a harmless over-the-counter drug turned out to be an elixir of death.

Local doctors were mystified by Cruz’s initial symptoms. Unable to explain the rapid onset of acute kidney failure, they directed her to a public hospital. More disturbing was the fact that Cruz was not alone. Dozens of other Panamanians were exhibiting the same symptoms. Dr. Jorge Motta, director of the Gorgas Institute, a joint U.S.-Panamanian medical initiative conceived to combat avian flu, suspected an emerging infectious disease. “Was it West Nile or E. coli or some post-influenza disease? Could it run through the population?” thought Motta. Neither he nor others, like Dr. Cirilio Lawson, the general director of the Ministry of Health, knew what was sickening the population. They only knew that it was spreading quickly, and that it was deadly......<a href=http://www.jbs.org/node/5001>continued</a>

[concan]

http://www.buyhard.fsnet.co.uk/

[Faramir]

Good thing we aren't worrying about our own food supply - Canadian farmers can compete on their own - screw caring about how much it actually costs to ensure a safe food supply.

I know what I'm eating, and where it came from. What's on your plate tonight?

I can get my fruit cheaper when it comes from New Zealand, California or Mexico. With a family of 4 to feed that is my priority.

[Angleland]

Glad to see Mo Strong''s beloved hosts keeping up their 'contributions' to Canada.

When one thinks of Canadians of Chinese decent, such as the late Dr Ivan Mark of Toronto well known for his crowded waiting room because he actually took the time to listen to his patients, the contrast in decency, kindness and community spirit with the rapacity, cruelty and tyranny of the Beijing Communist Dictatorship could not be more stark.

Mo Strong is an ally of the Beijing Dictatorship and all its works. Bulldog is correct in having previously stated that he should either renounce Canadian Citizenship or have it revoked.

[Edward Kennedy]

All my family's meat is either shot from the wild, and/or raised on local farms and killed/butchered by local people. Vegetables come from local farmers. Water from our own wells, not from the Turd City sevmer system aka Lake Ontario.

Tools, clothes, etc bought are targetted from Canada or the USA. Ditto for shoes.

Cars from North American or European manufacturers with an eye to the trickery of same producing them in Mexico.

It is possible to buy Canadian unless you live in a city and have to take what the stores offer.

[concan]

Good thing we aren't worrying about our own food supply - Canadian farmers can compete on their own - screw caring about how much it actually costs to ensure a safe food supply.

I know what I'm eating, and where it came from. What's on your plate tonight?

I can get my fruit cheaper when it comes from New Zealand, California or Mexico. With a family of 4 to feed that is my priority.

I'm sure you don't mean it the way it comes accross. Your priority is your families well being and you make conscious purchasing decisions. If you suspect a food is tainted, you won't feed it to your family even if you got money back.

Beware of Mexican fruit bro. What water do you think they're using to get those tomatoes, strawberries, oranges or peaches growing so juicy? Each year thousands of visitors to Mexico get sick from the water. Better hotels have water purification plants but even then you're supposed to drink only bottled water and even brush your teeth with bottled water. Remove ice cubes from your drinks and don't eat lettuce unless you washed it yourself with bottled water. Make sure the origin of the bottled water is genuine too.

California produce is safe from a health point of view. Morally perhaps not so safe, because hand picked by thousands of mostly illegal immigrant Mexicans.

Anyway, eat more pork and potatoes. Is good for you and your family!

[styky]

Chinese ambassador to Canada says importers share blame for unsafe products
HALIFAX (CP) - China's ambassador to Canada says importers share some responsibility for the recent recalls of toys found to contain excessive levels of lead paint.

Lu Shumin said Wednesday it is unfair to blame Chinese companies alone for the recall of 700,000 Chinese-made toys by Mattel Inc. He called for more international co-operation between producers in China and importers in other parts of the world to catch potential health hazards.

"The Chinese toy manufacturers, most of them, are doing business with these foreign importers," he said after a meeting with Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald.

"They make toys according to the foreign importers requests, according to their standard. So I think it is a mutual responsibility."

On Tuesday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the United States, in co-operation with Mattel, announced it is recalling about 700,000 Chinese-made toys that have excessive amounts of lead paint.

The recall covers 675,000 units of various Barbie accessory toys that were manufactured between Sept. 30, 2006, and Aug. 20, 2007.

The action also involves 8,900 different toys involving Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band toys from the company's Fisher-Price brand.

Those products were sold from July 2007 through August 2007.

In total, there are 25,500 toys affected by the recall in Canada, including seven Barbie-branded toys.

Lu said the Chinese government takes its responsibility seriously.

"If we find out this is the responsibility of the producers, the producers will have to be dealt (with) according to law," he said.

Lu said the majority of products exported by his country are safe, adding that exports are growing this year at a rate of 17 per cent.

"I want to point out, the overwhelming majority of the Chinese produced products are high quality and safe," he said. "And if you take these recalled products, it's only a tiny, tiny part of the total of Chinese exports."

He said China has taken steps to improve quality control, including a tougher inspection system for food products.

Lu noted that companies in other parts of the world often recall products because of potential safety hazards, including automobile manufacturers.

"This shouldn't be made a big fuss," he said. "Because the quality control is not only a problem, is not something for China alone. Every country has it and no country in the world can say their products is 100 per cent up to the standard and 100 per cent safe."

Among the three Fisher-Price toys recalled globally are two Fisher-Price Geotrax toys that were sold in Canada and one "It's a Big Big World" toy sold exclusively in the U.S.

The announcement marks Mattel's third major recall of Chinese-made toys because of lead paint in a matter of a month.

Mattel's last recall, announced on Aug. 14, covered about 19 million toys worldwide.

They included Chinese-made toys that either had excessive amounts of lead paint or had small magnets that could easily be swallowed by children.

Lead can cause brain damage when ingested by young children. Under current regulations, children's products found to have more than .06 per cent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

With more than 80 per cent of toys sold worldwide made in China, toy sellers are nervous that shoppers will shy away from their products in this year's critical holiday season.

Late last month, Toys "R" Us announced it was recalling thousands of art sets made in China due to excessive levels of lead in some black watercolour paints.

<a href=http://www.recorder.ca/cp/National/070905/n090593A.html>source</a>

[Treehouse]

It's not just the Chinese-made toxic toys, toxic clothing, toxic blankets, many different toxic food items and other manufactured goods that causes me to want to boycott their goods.

What really broils me is that the Communist Chinese government is throwing dissidents, Christians and Falun Gong members into jail, killing them, and selling their organs to the highest European bidders.

Why would we trade with these people??

[ccrb]

Chinese honey (filthy and tainted) is still coming in, being routed via other nations.

[Right-Wingnut]

And the beat goes on ........

It seems that every day brings news of more CRAP from the barbarians being recalled for safety reasons.

Here's the first of today's list that I've come across. I'm sure, though, that there will be more before the day is over.

source:
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/0 ... ecall.html

Zipper pulls, cellphone charms recalled for excessive lead levels
Last Updated: Thursday, September 6, 2007 | 6:44 PM ET
CBC News

Cellphone charms and zipper pulls made in China and sold in dollar stores across Canada have been found to contain high levels of lead, Health Canada said in an advisory issued Thursday.

The items are dangerous to children if they suck, chew or swallow parts of the products, the federal agency said. Dollarama stores are voluntarily recalling the products from the marketplace.

Dollarama is recalling cellphone charms and zipper pulls because they contain excessive levels of lead.Dollarama is recalling cellphone charms and zipper pulls because they contain excessive levels of lead.
(Health Canada)

"If you suspect that a child may have lead poisoning from mouthing one of these zipper pulls or cellphone charms, contact your family physician, who can order a blood test to measure the child's blood lead level," Health Canada said.

The recall applies to the following products:

* Sixty-five millimetre zipper pulls with astrological signs or words including 'Diva,' 'Friend' or 'Cute.'
* Cellphone charms in the shape of a purse and with a handle with a diameter of 15 mm.

Officials say consumers should throw out the zipper pulls and cellphone charms in their normal household waste disposal.
Lead poisoning can cause anemia, seizures

High amounts of lead can harm the nervous system, kidneys and other major organs. Anemia, a deficiency in red blood cells, can occur, as can damage to the nervous system that may impair mental function. At worst, lead poisoning can cause seizures or death.
Continue Article

Thursday's advisory follows extensive global recalls issued in recent months for made-in-China toys. On Aug. 1, Mattel recalled about 1.5 million preschool toys for high lead levels. The company subsequently issued a second, larger recall of more than 18 million toys on Aug. 14, saying magnets embedded in the toys as well as high lead levels posed a safety threat to young children. On Tuesday, Mattel ordered a third recall of about 844,000 toys with unsafe lead levels. All the toys were made in China.

Other recent recalls of made-in-China toys include Thomas the Train products and Toys "R" Us art kits, in both cases for unsafe lead levels.

[nickjbor]

this is all part of an evil wal-mart plan to fill thier stores with so much lead that they can be used as nuclear bomb shelters

[styky]

China recalls tainted leukemia drugs - BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities ordered the recall of tainted leukemia drugs blamed for leg pains and other problems, state media reported Sunday, the latest crisis to strike the country's embattled food and drug industries. <a href=http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2007-09-16-china-drugs_N.htm>Full Story</a>

[nickjbor]

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup ... um=1313754 found a pic of those pills