Four Companies Ordered to Stop Importing Toys With Toxic Lead and Phthalates

Four California companies have been ordered to stop import, sale, and distribution of children’s products alleged to have hazardous levels of lead and phthalates, in violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) and the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA), Consumer Affairs reported last week.

The companies are: Toys Distribution, Inc. of Los Angeles; S&J Merchandise of El Monte; BLJ Apparel Inc. of El Monte; and All Season Sales Inc. of Montebello, as well as their owners.  The companies and their owners are alleged to share significant business and/or personal ties and knowingly imported children’s products that contained levels of lead and phthalates in excess of federal safety levels. 

Lead and many phthalates have been designated chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and/or birth defects and reproductive harm.  Companies selling products in California that contain such chemicals must provide consumers with a health hazard warning.

The Chanler Group, on behalf of citizen enforcers and other whistleblower clients, seeks to uncover toxic chemical exposures and government fraud in our everyday lives, to hold the offenders responsible for such violations of state and federal law, such as the CPSIA, accountable to the public, and to effectuate change for a cleaner environment.