U.S. regulators stop unsafe toys

   Collaboration between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Consumer Production Safety Commission has resulted in thousands of unsafe toys being kept from sale to the public.
   In November, CBP officers in Chicago seized a shipment of 47,700 FBI Action Play Sets from China after CPSC testing of samples determined they contained excessive amounts of lead, which can cause neurological damage in children, the agency said last week.
   CBP officers also confiscated a shipment of 4,720 plastic light musical balls from the same warehouse because the toys had high levels of phthalates that can cause harm if children suck or chew on them. 
   Customs and CPSC analysts work together at the Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center for Import Safety in Washington where they analyze shipment data, product sources and historical patterns to identify imports that have a high likelihood of violating U.S. product safety rules. The assessments are used by personnel at ports of entry to inspect shipments and make sure they are safe.
   The inter-agency targeting effort also led to the seizure last month of thousands of Christmas lights that did not meet fire-prevention standards.