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Saudi Arabia Recalls Chinese-Made Toys | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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RIYADH, (AP), Saudi Arabia ordered the recall of 2,300 toys made in China feared to contain high levels of toxic lead paint, the country’s official news agency reported Saturday.

The Saudi minister of commerce collected 46 samples of toys in the Riyadh markets to examine whether they contained dangerous chemicals, the agency reported. The findings were not yet revealed.

On Wednesday, the same ministry ordered a recall of seven different brands of toothpaste made in China after lab tests discovered high levels of toxic diethylene glycol.

Mattel Inc., which recalled almost 19 million Chinese-made items including dolls, cars and action figures earlier this month, warned its agents in Saudi Arabia that lead has been found in the toys, the press agency added.

Toys are the latest in a long list of Chinese exports that have come under intense scrutiny around the world in recent months because of safety concerns. Toxic chemicals have been found in products ranging from toothpaste to seafood and pet food ingredients.

This week alone, the United States has recalled tens of thousands of Chinese-made SpongeBob SquarePants products because of lead hazards, while New Zealand launched an urgent investigation after children’s clothes imported from China were found to contain dangerous levels of formaldehyde.