15 Dec 2008

American Samoa bans toys with lead based paint

11:44 am on 15 December 2008

American Samoa's governor has banned the importation and sale of all toys and products from China with excessive levels of lead.

Togiola Tulafono says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or UCPSC has issued a number of recall notices concerning the use of lead based paint being used in children's toys and other products from China.

He says it has been well documented that lead may cause irreversible neurological damage as well as kidney diseases, cardiovascular effects and reproductive problems.

Togiola says all products from China listed by the UCPSC as being recalled for lead contamination "are banned".

The governor's order includes eight pages that lists the toys and serial number of the banned toys.

The Customs Division of the Treasury Department is been tasked with ensuring that all products outlined in the list should not enter the territory for any type of use, sale or consumption for any reason.