Schylling Fined $200,000 Over Lead Paint Violations

Schylling Associates Inc, distributors of spinning top toys and tin pails targeted toward young children, has agreed to pay a $200,000 civil penalty for violating federal lead paint standards and failing to immediately report to CPSC information about the non-compliant toys, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced on February 4, 2010.

Per the settlement agreement, the tainted toys were imported by Schylling from China between January and March of 2002. Made by Eway Enterprises LTD, a Hong Kong manufacturer, the toys were then distributed by Schylling for sale in the United States from early 2002 through late 2003. However, in March 2002, Schylling allegedly received a test report from an independent laboratory showing the lead levels in at some of the toys was high enough to violate federal standards. The products were re-tested and again failed to comply to standards. Eway notified Schylling of the violation, but Schylling did not immediately report the violation to the CPSC -- a federal requirement. Instead, Schylling severed its working relationship with Eway and conducted a recall without notifying the CPSC.

Five years later, according to the settlement agreement, Schylling was contacted by a Chicago Tribune reporter who informed the company that a sample of the toy tops, purchased from a U.S. consumer via a website, had been tested by an independent laboratory for the presence of lead-containing paint and yielded failing results. Subsequently, Schylling recalled 66,000 spinning tops and about 4,700 pails in August 2007. 3,600 more tops were recalled in November 2007.

According to the CPSC, lead is most dangerous in children under age 6. Lead exposure can cause the following problems in children:

Nervous system and kidney damage.
Learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and decreased intelligence.
Speech, language, and behavior problems.
Poor muscle coordination.
Decreased muscle and bone growth.
Hearing damage.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that if you have any reason to suspect that your child has been exposed to a toy containing lead, remove the toy immediately. Most children with elevated blood lead levels have no symptoms. The only way to tell is to have a blood lead test. Your health care provider can help you decide whether such a test is needed and can also recommend treatment if your child has been exposed.