US seizes 200,000 Chinese dolls because of alleged harmful chemicals

About 200,000 Chinese dolls have been impounded because they may contain a chemical that has been banned from children's toys, U.S. officials say. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the dolls contain high levels of phthalates, a type of chemical that makes plastic more pliable, CNN reported. Phthalates are banned from toys. The commission's chairwoman, Inez Tenenbaum, said the Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center had the dolls under observation for months. "Using advanced technology to track certain shipments before they reach our shores is helping CPSC better protect America's consumers," she said. Ten shipments with a total value estimated at $500,000 were seized at eight ports. Ed Desmond, executive vice president for external affairs of the Toy Industry Association, praised federal regulators for making sure that "products violating strict federal safety laws never reach consumers."