China and Toxic Toys
From the New York Times:
"The United States is sliding into a housing-driven downturn, just as it also appears to be losing some of its global edge from the technology investments of recent decades. For Japan, the housing bubble burst just as the rise of China as an export power hurt Japanese manufacturers.
Which brings me to China.
China has been in the news recently as a source of adulterated pet food that was killing animals. Usually news reports state that the pet food was "contaminated" but the toxins were added voluntarily (as a way of fooling protein assays) so contamination is not the right word. Pet foods were intentionally adulterated for economic benefit.
China has also been in the news for exporting toothpaste that is aldulterated/contaminad with ethylene glycol, which has a deadly sweet taste known to lure pets, and sometimes children, into consuming lethal amounts.
And lead in childrens' toys.
I want to add to the list those soft rubber toys that look like squids on steroids, with all the fun tentacles. Have you ever smelled one? The odor of emitted plasticizers is sickening.
China.
Because the government is not legally accountable to the people, businesses are not accountable to the people. And because information is suppressed, even public outcry is not a motivation to change business practices to more closely approximate the standards of the 20th century. Let alone the 21st.
A vivid NYT article described reporters, who were attempting to get to the bottom of the pet food scandal, being held hostage in a corporate meeting room. Even summoning help from police was ineffective, because police (apparently) have no jurisdiction over Chinese corporations.
Their cheap workforce is an economic benefit, but so is their ability to produce inferior products without oversight. China is a threat to other economies partly because it produces dangerous products at a profit.
As a revolt, I avoid purchasing Chinese products today.
Even though I would dearly love to play with those tentacled squishy toys.