Despite Mattel's public relations effort, numerous politicians said this week that federal regulators need to increase independent testing of toys.
Before this law was passed, testing of toys was not required, and compliance with safety standards was voluntary.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is negotiating with the toy industry to conduct broader testing of toys that are being imported, said Nancy A. Nord, the commission's acting chairwoman.
Congress is considering legislation that would set tougher quality-control measures, including third-party testing of toys and possibly other child products, and the elimination of lead.
Reacting to three separate recalls of Mattel toys found to contain unsafe levels of lead paint, The Walt Disney Company said it would begin its own testing of toys featuring Disney characters, including random testing of products already on store shelves.
Still, he said his company conducts third-party testing of its toys to make sure that its finishes are safe.
The Target Corporation is pulling its two Valentine's Day "Message Bears" from store shelves, the company said on Tuesday, a day after the California attorney general said testing of the toys revealed lead levels that violated federal law for products for children under age 12.
They quickly realized that not every youngster gets to test hundreds of toys nor enjoy a December bonanza suggesting Santa had assigned each a private elf.
Facing broadening questions about the safety of toys sold in the United States — particularly those made in China — as the holiday season approaches, the industry is asking that these kinds of tests be required of toy companies, big and small.
The commission is considering requiring testing of components used by toy handicrafters, rather than the final product itself.
