Can you trust Chinese-made products?

In the late 1950s, Mao Zedong sought to make China an industrial power by encouraging peasants to ignore their farms and build backyard iron smelters. The nationwide project was an abject failure, and a cause of a major famine. Nearly fifty years later, China has become an industrial powerhouse beyond Mao's wildest dreams. But that success is now threatened by an ever-growing list of safety problems with Chinese-made products. First it was pet food contaminated with melamine. Then toothpaste containing diethylene glycol. Two weeks ago: a huge recall on Thomas & Friends toys coated with lead paint. Earlier this week, we learned about unsafe tires that need to be recalled. Can we no longer trust products made in China? 

Here are some startling statistics: The number of Chinese-made products that are being recalled in the U.S. has doubled in the last five years, helping to drive the total number of recalls in this country to an annual record of 467 last year. Chinese-made products account for 60 percent of all consumer-product recalls, and 100 percent of all 24 kinds of toys recalled so far this year. Even China’s own government auditing agency found that 20 percent of the toys made and sold in China had safety hazards. 

As consumer products companies continue to move their manufacturing from the U.S. to contract factories overseas, we shouldn't be surprised by an increase in recalls of foreign-made goods; in some ways, it's simply a reflection of the growth of such products in the overall market. And we've Rated many products made in China and other developing countries as highly as those produced domestically. Still, we need to keep unsafe goods from crossing our borders and hold manufacturers more accountable for producing unsafe goods in the first place. 

Our government safety agencies, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Food and Drug Administration, are woefully underfunded and understaffed to stop substandard goods from entering our country. Consumers Union has been advocating for beefing up the resources for these agencies so that they can be more effective in protecting consumer safety. However, even if that happens, we need to place more responsibility for product safety on those U.S.-based companies that import, distribute, and sell products. 

If laws would allow government watchdog agencies to levy large civil penalties against all parties in the supply chain, it would change the way businesses operate. To protect themselves, importers would require thorough testing of the products they source and insist on independent safety certifications. They would also develop quality assurance programs that would ensure that products are produced according to good manufacturing practices and meet quality and safety standards. Quality assurance would need to become an on-going practice with pre-shipment testing and inspections conducted regularly by independent laboratories. 

The quality assurance process for foreign-sourced goods can be a very effective tool for protecting importers — and consumers. I’ve personally witnessed the success of this process in Chinese factories that were producing products for one of this country’s largest retailers. Any product with a critical defect — lead paint, faulty wiring, etc. — would result in a rejected shipment. You can bet that manufacturer was careful about testing its products before they were ever loaded onto a container-ship. 

But the retailer’s mantra of speed-to-market leaves precious little time for the testing and inspection processes once products are manufactured. Testing and inspection companies are often rushed to get their job done and comprehensive testing may not be practical. Large retailers also squeeze manufacturers to cut pricing, pushing them to cut corners. The power and efficiency of major retailers often has unintended consequences, jeopardizing consumer safety. Increasing their responsibility and accountability will force them to take a more proactive approach to product safety. (Consumers, long accustomed to paying ever-lower prices for almost all goods, may also need to acknowledge that there are some things — like safer products — worth paying a little more for.) 

As an added deterrent to bringing unsafe products to the market, the principals of companies who knowingly import, distribute or sell unsafe products, should be subject to criminal penalties. Last year, I testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee on this issue.   

The Chinese government also needs to play a role, particularly in reforming corrupt practices that often lead to inspectors and other officials turning a blind eye to infractions and irregularities (though we're not sure China's recent decision to execute the former head of the country's equivalent to the FDA for taking bribes is quite the direction we would take). However, our focus needs to remain on changes we can make by working with U.S. regulators and the domestic manufacturers, importers and retailers responsible for bringing Chinese-made products into this country. 

This issue is coming under closer scrutiny by some policymakers and the media. Hopefully, this will bring about change. In the meantime, you can keep on top of product recalls and sign up for recall notices and safety alerts at www.recalls.gov. And should you find an unsafe product, you can help protect other consumers by reporting it to the appropriate government agency as well as to us. 

— Don Mays

Comments

[Don]

A lot of people have many different thoughts about products made in China. Companies moved their production not because people wanted a cheaper product but for more profits plus tax breaks for closing down our factories. In 2002 a law was passed stating that food labels shall show the country of origin label-COOL. Industry fought it and it will not be implemented until October of 2008. How can people stop buying food products from China if they do not know it came from there. Check out the Olympics with all of the polution they have in China I do not want any of their food products and if the product I want to buy cannot tell me its COOL I refuse to buy it and I would rather do without.It has been said that the USA is moving toward a service economy. Service economy jobs barely pay a living wage with zero thrills and it cannot support our economy. Think before you buy, your job may be next.

[keith walden]

Blaming companies and congress and capitalism for communist China decimating our manufacturing industry and buying up big pieces of land and whole industries in our country with the proceeds is wrong. It is a very easy whay to avoid owning up to what in your heart you know to be the real truth. You are demanding it. If you didnt buy it, they wouldn't make it. If for years you hadn't bought cheaper Chinese goods over domestic made even though domestic were better made and support our own economy and job market companies would not have found it profitable to move manufacturing to China to make products you will buy. The consumer controls it. Its not corporate greed. It is consumer greed. Its not rocket science and its undisputable.
China is well on the way to becoming the largest manufacturer on the planet if not already and after snuffing out manufacturing elsewhere by low price for a time will eventually be able to dictate it. They will also be able to project their political will and lifestyle to the rest of the world from a powerful position. I believe they will be the next super-power leaving the US in the dust probably snickering off-camera as they do.

[tom affatigato]

Save yourself, save the animals, save your children, saveTibet, save human rights
BOYCOTT CHINA AND ALL BUSINESSES THAT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM

[Rossp]

I agree it is very difficult to find products made in the US, or just anywhere but China. I try very hard to avoid food products made in China, but often the labels only give the distributor. Yesterday I was looking for a potato masher, at Kohl's. I thought there I could find something not made in China. I was not trying to find something for a dollar. They had two, one for $12.95 and the other for $16.95, both made in China of stainless steel. I really need to mash my potatoes, and hate to say it, but I bought one. I just hope there are not hidden problems.
It appears sturdy, but I am wondering if it will break while I'm mashing, and slice off my finger.

[jim w.]

Where do consumers go to report potential harmful or hazdous Chinese made products? I tried to locate a place on the FTC and FDA's site, but could not find anything for products specifically. What agency tests and monitors products? Thanks! jim

[Leslie Denny]

How do we get on board with a universal ban on products Made in China? I have written the Labor Unions, the big box stores numerous times and receive no response. I realize this would be one of the biggest undertakings in merchandising history, but the time is now. Is there any other way to ensure the integrity of these products? Thank you.

[Jervice]

Profit motivation is the base stone for the whole western economy. Every macro-economics book starts with it maybe. So blaming the companies is against this mood and basic instinct, but that's the basis for capitalism. If so, are all the people adovacting changing the profit- motivated basis fight again the basis of the capitalism? Yes. Then they are for the basic rules of communism which ignores the power of human's instinct and focuses in nation-planned society and economy. Interesting!
What surprised me a lot is from a japanese report on the import goods with defections. China ranked 23th with 0.58% defection rate and U.S.A. ranked 11th with 1.31% defection rate.What's wrong? Now Marttel is making a recall and people not happy about it. Well if Chinese toys the Marttell recalled were really good quality staff, then they did a right thing right? But see what the media has fabricated from the Martell recall and I wonder how many fabrication there are in this game. There are defective good of course but is there a extravagance? I know the U.S. government was giving a lot of pressure on the China's foreign exchange control and is the negative power of this case also a good chance for the U.S. government to make them feel more difficult and make us easier to win? I don't know. But it seems to be complicated and we are like not really in the right way of understanding the right things. Just look at the emotions they have in the media. How much is that going to influence our thinking?

[Doan]

This is way beyond control, these recall are mainly on toys stuff, a lot of electronics is made in China, regardless of brand name. If people start to stop buying made in china product, we will end up naked. All of not most notebook product (sony, hp, dell etc..) are made in China. Will you stop touching your computer to write this email, because it was made in China. This is so crazy. I worked for a Japanse brand company, but some models are still made in China. People are over reacting!

[cb]

I was concerned last year when I could not find garlic that was grown in the USA. What has happened to our garlic farmers? I don't want produce that is grown in soil that is contaminated with heavy metals. I recently discovered that apple juice from my local Wegmans store comes from China. They indicated that it saved the consumers 35 cents on each container. Meanwhile, a few miles away we are in apple country here in New York State. Are we going to lose all our family farms in the USA? How healthy is that apple juice? Do we want our children's health at risk so we can save 35 cents. We saw dogs and cats dying of kidney failure. Do we want to see our children suffer because of poisoned Chinese food?

[C Sherman]

As a manager that does an emense amount of purchasing for the company I'm employed by and as an American consumer I make every effort to purchase American or at least North American made products. There are several reasons that have already been listed in many of the other blogs. China is going to overtake our country one way or another, they already own 1.3 TRILLION dollars of our government bonds and securities (not to mention our poloticians of both parties). The products that they produce ARE all inferior. It's not just corporate greed at fault but the American consumer who still lays out their hard earned dollars to purchase inferior but inexpensive products. People can have an effect on these companies that export your jobs then expect you to buy the crap that they're importing. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUY AMERICAN & DEMAND AMERICAN PRODUCTS, SUPPORT THOSE COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE WITH AMERICAN LABOR AND MATERIALS and let the others know why you didn't spend your money with them!!!!!! There isn't enough time to list all of the inferior products & materials that most people don't know about. As someone said above....God Help Us!!

[Tony]

I'm considering buying a new sofa. Of course, the pieces I am leaning towards have polyfoam cushions made in China. Considering the recalls and safety issues in the news of late I'm concerned. Can someone comment on the potential health issues around polyfoam and their manufacturing? Thanks.

[Chris Rose]

Let me first say that I have nothing against Chinese workers. They are just trying to earn a living like most of the rest of us are. I also know that the Chinese are as capable as anyone else of making high quality products. They are producing products to a price dictated by greedy American companies.

These companines have sold out American workers and by shipping their jobs elsewhere. They have sold out American consumers buy offering us only low quality Chinese goods and food products.

Personally, I refuse to buy the junk, even though there often isn't another consumer choice. In those cases, I find the product I want used, make it or grow it myself, tell the retailers why I am not spending my money with them, and of course, never, ever buy anything from Walmart.

[Pat R.]

America not delivering on its promise of high quality merchandise at lower cost by overseas manufacturing should not be a new debate.

Increasingly obvious is that manufacturers are delivering low quality merchandise at low cost by outsourced manufacturing, but who would be surprised?

High quality and safe merchandise has always been the reason for America's extension federal trade regulations, and in bypassing those to accept manufacturing standards of other nations, she faces a much higher risk than what was originally planned by those regulations.

Quality of life and production is attainable only with sufficient control, and attention, features which todays market appears unable to produce - exposing Americans to a plethora of dangers that should not have been considered unforseen as the trade-off for lower prices.

The impulse to create a few millionaires should never have been an adequate reason to endanger the lives of Americans everywhere by exposure to lax procedures, toxic sources, little monitoring, and less enforcement. Adopting manufacturing standards of other nations is not likely to produce high quality merchandise safe for human consumption if the Federal Trade regulations were produced to achieve that goal. Ignoring them can only invite disaster, and amounts to gross neglect or intentional exposure allowed by the government itself in allowing companies to side step its own rules.

[L Daigre]

Where are our Congressman and Congresswomen? Why are they not as outraged as we are? Why are they so silent? Hmmm....No laws exist to fine the Big Corporations? REALITY CHECK:
The big Corporations donate thousands to the campaign funds of politicians so let's take a guess as to why they are not acting on these issues!! Why would anyone think they would fund or vote to support fines for any Corporations? It would be political suicide. What about tariffs? As Americans, can make a difference if we start with boycotting China products. If it says "Made in China" .... don't buy it. Then start Boycotting the Corporations who order the inferior products in the first place! They know exactly what they are ordering and it meets their specifications. It's cheap! Is there an existing Website that lists all of the manufacturers and Corporations who have been caught manufacturing or selling inferior products? It would be great if we could BOYCOTT ALL of the Corporations products. That could put a dent in their pocket book.
I am Boycotting WalMart at this time. They seem to be one of the largest importers of China products. They use to have a sign in the store claiming that they support "USA" made products and I don't see the sign any longer. I tried to find five products that said "Made in USA" and there were none to be found.

[Barbara Welch]

I would never knowingly buy any food product or anything that was put on my skin or in my mouth that came from China or Mexico. When grocery shopping I also look for the origin. This limits the fresh fruit and vegetables, but with no regulation, they are probably using human fertilizer which then carries hepitatis. I won't even buy a can (or now pouch)of tuna since the processing is done overseas. There will come a time when we will all have our own gardens and cows and chickens in the backyard, just like our ancestors. Talk about coming full circle. American businesses have sold their souls for putting the dollar in their pocket instead of being concerned of the welfare of our country. If there is one ingredient that comes from overseas it should be listed so consumers can make an informed decision whether or not to support that brand. This includes products for humans and animals.

[LYDIA BRYANT]

There's a recent article in BUSINESS WEEK about Chinese products and recalls. The country has expanded its manufacturing and exporting, but according to the article, there is extensive pollution caused by these factories and as someone here mentioned, they do not have any enforced regulations or inspections. When there's pollution in the water, where do you think that goes on the farms there? It isn't a pretty picture. The greedmongers in Congress who passed NAFTA and CAFTA did not do any favors for American workers or American consumers! It appears that the finest foods we grow we export (so they can make more money) and turn around and import the SAME foods from other countries at less prices (and possibly higher bacterial and pesticide levels). That's how it's done. Mexico, who exports tons of produce to the U.S., also has major water pollution! I think it would behoove us to have Congress eat and use these uninspected, non regulated foods and products as well as have their sons and daughters fight in this Iraqi war for OIL!
I agree with Mr. Barrow's ending quote. It's time for Americans to have another revolution so we can get back our jobs and demand corporations be more responsible, accountable and enforce the regulations here (no matter how many "divisions" are around the world) if their products will end up in America. The CEO pay ratio to the worker salary is crazy, not to mention insulting to any American worker who creates, sells and or provides the services of that company!

[M Jean]

I agree with the above comments. We most certainly need more scrutiny in the area of food from China. They need to follow the same regulations our own farmers do. This is most important for our children as we do not want to expose them to harmful chemicals unnecessarily. I have heard from the local apple growers in my area that apple juice and apples from China show evidence that they are using DDT which is banned in the US. We need to know what chemicals they use on produce, what residuals remain on the food we import and what chemicals contaminants are present in "wild-caught" fish and seafood.

[cynthia]

I have been researching floors and flooring accessories. We will be starting a company in 6 months. It is sad to say, but all of my contacts have led me to China--for everything--including the installation kits. I did, happidly, find a molding company that is in America. Even though it is more expensive, we decided to pay more and feel confident about the quality we will be receiving. I find it very hard to find companies to provide our inventory that are in America. When I get responses from the China companies-they make sure to say ''wallmart is our biggest customer....Target,etc.'' It would be great to have more factories in America. I am glad to have at least found one company that will supply us ''American made'' products. My husband, works in Germany for OSRAM (Sylvania). Two years ago, the company threatened the employees to move the product lines to China--unless--the employees gave up their bonuses and took pay cuts--just to save their jobs. They agreed. The company has on the record (even before this agreement) made more money in the history of the company and has continued to do so. Next month, there is a meeting--again, they are threatening the employees to move product lines to China--unless...you got it...the employees take another pay cut. This time, people are lining up for severance not to keep their jobs. We will see what happens, but it is all over the world the same. For some reason, China keeps taking the jobs and producing below quality products. I do not see an answer except to be very careful and not let this just be a one-day headliner in the news. We must remember to always be proactive even when the news has other headlines.

[Jay]

I totally agree!!!! As a tradesperson, and a safety officer, I come across many products that I use and other people refer/complain to me about failure.
I for one complain to major tool manufacturers and return those items made in China. I also return any items that are made in china that seem to be unsafe in my mind for anything that I or my family purchase.

Insofar as one writer asks , "is there anything made in the U.S."? Sadly, not many things anymore! WE are the culprits allowing the companies to take their factories overseas and use foreign labor. WE should have insisted that goods be made HERE and not purchase anything with a foreign label.
If we do this enough times, the manufacturers will get the hint and either return to the U.S., or suffer the consequenses.

[Peggy]

It's like pulling eye teeth to get the US to provide for consumer safety in ANY given area. The guy put in charge of the Consumer Product Safety Commission was a political hack who had lobbied AGAINST consumer safety. The main reason we are picking on China now is not because they may or may not be sending us tainted goods, but because China is becoming such a strong competitor for our industries. Your safety and well being is of no concern to the people in Washington now.

[Tomas]

Rather than just beefing up the government watchdog agencies, we should also begin holding the corporations who import defective/dangerous products responsible for the product.

If I buy something with an American corporation's name on it, I fully expect that corporation to take responsibility for the product, no matter where it was made.

The government agencies will never have the staff needed to inspect every product that comes into this country, so that inspection has to fall to the importer, and they need to be held responsible.

If the importer allows hazardous products past their quality control, it needs to cost them enough that it will become cheaper to ensure product safety than to do it again...

Tomas

[Joe Butera]

It really concerns me that our government watchdog agencies are underfunded and understaffed. We spend billions of dollars waging war in Irag and elsewhere only to have foriegn nations send dangerous goods through our borders every day. To me this is a covert form of terrorism and we should spend our defense monies on protecting our borders from all dangerous intrusion.

[Jon Eaton]

Quality and safety issues aside (which I find universally dismal), why isn't the energy consumed moving these products on the front page of the global warming issue?

[Dr Tom Grant]

The turning of American commercial production to China was assailed many years ago by unions and the like as a defection of trust in the American worker. Corporate profiteers were classed as "money grubbers", willing to sell our domestic workers down the river for a buck. The truth is that our current dependance on China labor is a result of over-pricing of the labor pool we have created. If we think that in China and elsewhere they have limited engineering skills, you would be sadly mistaken. They do have very high quality design and eningeering skills. A recent product I invented cost me literally 1/10th the cost to design, engineer and produce, saving me hundreds of thousands of dollars and I got a superior design to what I was being offered stateside, but "I" had to approve the quality, the content and materials prior to production. That this articles reported "defects" came out of China is not an isolated Chinese fault. The companies who placed the orders for these products had to deliberately ignore or intentionally request these inferior designs or materials used/received. Whether they did not perform thorough inspection of the Chinese suppliers capacity or they just said "skip the QC, just make and deliver the product in time to meet my marketing deadline" or they simply didn't care enough to get the details of their supplier's capacity remains for the investigators to sort through. In my experience, "Made in China", I had to make the decision as to what, when, how and why I authorized and receievd EXACTLY what "I" ordered. Blame the USA manufacturers, not the China supply chain for the increase in recalls that are being reported. China delivers EXACTLY the quality WE approve. We get what WE pay for. By demanding cheaper and cheaper consumables, we shouldn't expect to not get burned by the cost cutting measures WE have demanded from our vendors of choice. When we use our MONEY voting power by demanding quality and our willingness to pay for it, then and only then will these recalls begin to dissappear, rather than accelerate in frequency.

[Mani Nease]

What bothers me most is how long it took the lead paint to be discovered, I cannot believe it has been going on since 2005??? I agree something more needs to be done to stop this from even occurring, I am disgusted with the overwhelming number of big corporations going to China making cheap, sub-par, and even dangerous products, so the “top dogs” can stuff their pockets to overflowing, instead of investing in their own country and fellow citizens. We need new trade policies concerning China, as well as penalties to companies that go outside of the country to manufacture their products instead of keeping them at home. I realize it's more expensive for these corporations in the US, but I also know CEO’s are making a ridiculous salary in comparison to your average worker, the gap has grown so far out of proportion in the last 20 years, which really is essential in keeping this cycle in motion (i.e., less jobs, less money, less power, can only pay for a sub-par product). I often feel like I am living under the rule of a fascist government. Regardless, of my feeling, how do you really attack such a large and self-perpetuating problem, such as this, as an individual I try to only buy things made in the USA and Europe, but it isn't always easy, and it is definitely more expensive; I write letters to my policy makers, sign petitions, make phone calls, but it hardly seems enough. The ship is sinking.