another reason to *try* to boycott Chinese made products (x-posted)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071108/...e_rape_drug_33

Mom: Chemical-laced toy made son 'drunk'

By DIKKY SINN, Associated Press Writer Thu Nov 8, 9:14 AM ET

A woman whose toddler son ingested a popular toy that contains a
chemical that turns into a powerful "date rape" drug when eaten said
Thursday she knew he was ill when he began to stumble, seemed drunk
and started vomiting.

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Moose Enterprises said Bindeez and Aqua Dots are made at the same
factory, which is in Shenzhen in southern Guangdong province. Last
week, the government announced an export ban on more than 700 toy
factories in the region because of shoddy products.

The company said the product is distributed in 40 countries.

The toys were supposed to use 1,5-pentanediol, a nontoxic compound
found in glue, but instead contained the harmful 1,4-butanediol, which
is widely used in cleaners and plastics.

The Food and Drug Administration in 1999 declared the chemical a Class
I Health Hazard, meaning it can cause life-threatening harm.

Both chemicals are manufactured in China and elsewhere, including by
major multinational companies, and are also marketed over the
Internet.

It's not clear why 1,4-butanediol was substituted. However, there is a
significant difference in price between the two chemicals. The Chinese
online trading platform ChemNet China lists the price of 1,4
butanediol at between about $1,350-$2,800 per metric ton, while the
price for 1,5-pentanediol is about $9,700 per metric ton.

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The recalls:
http://children.webmd.com/news/20071...src=RSS_PUBLIC

or http://snipurl.com/1tdpn


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits