Case Study

Case study
“Lead in Toys and Drinking Water”
1. Should there be a global standard for toy manufacturing? What are some of
the benefits and what are some of the drawbacks of a potential global quality and
manufacturing standard?
Ans. Yes, there should be a global standard for toy manufacturing as it will provide harmony in the
manufacturing standards, and the implementation of the worldwide standard will make the
consumers and the other stakeholders satisfied concerning the toys' standards. This will allow
consumers from different countries to realize that harmful metals are not used in the manufacturing
of the toys, and they are globally certified toys that are safe and are used worldwide[ CITATION
She18 \l 1033 ].
However, there are some drawbacks to implementing global standards of manufacturing of toys,
such as the increase in the toys' prices. This is because the manufacturers will imply with the
international standards and hence will manufacture the toys so that their quality will match the global
standards[ CITATION Nja19 \l 1033 ]. This will harm the developing countries and rely on the less
expensive toys from the local manufacturers, which will pose an affordability threat for the
consumers. Furthermore, the toy manufacturers might lose their competitive advantage as all the toy
manufacturers will manufacture the toys on the same global standards. Also, the price advantage
among local toy manufacturers will be minimized due to international manufacturing
standards[ CITATION Nar20 \l 1033 ].
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2. With some 80 percent of the toys sold in the United States being manufactured
in China, should the United States place greater emphasis on its toy-trading
relationship with China? Could the United States control China’s manufacturing
more than it do today? How?
Ans. Despite the large percentage of toy selling from china in the United states., the growing
tensions in the political field of both countries is posing barriers in their trade relationship. The
United States has imposed some strict laws on different manufacturers from china in the industry of
automobile[ CITATION Nja19 \l 1033 ].IT and electronics are putting hurdles in the trade of both
countries. For this reason, the USA should outsource their toys from Europe that is also one of the
largest manufacturers of toys. Whereas, if the USA wants to stick with china as a toy manufacturer,
its CPSC (Consumer product safety Commission) should evaluate the toys' quality with more
scrutiny and monitoring. Furthermore, the USA should have established a specific toy evaluating
committee that should deal with the toys exported from other countries[ CITATION She18 \l 1033 ]. This
will give the USA more control over the monitoring and evaluation of toys and will allow the foreign
manufacturers to comply with the standards of that committee. The committee should test the toys to
check any harmful materials and should post the stamp on the toys as certified so that the consumers
can purchase them without any doubt. This will provide more safety procedures and will ensure
consumer satisfaction and safety[ CITATION Nar20 \l 1033 ].
1
3. The Flint, Michigan, water crisis highlighted a major issue in the United States
regarding old lead-based pipes used to transport water to the community. This
came to light in Flint due to the failure of applying corrosion inhibitors to the
water when the city leadership decided to switch water sources. What global fail-
safe mechanisms should be enforced on water consumption, and other
consumable products, to safeguard from potential lead poisoning?
The global fail-safe mechanisms can be referred to as the implemented mechanisms when a certain
failure has happened in the system. In the USA, where the water is being found with lead, and the
other consumer products are exposed to lead and heavy metal usage that might pose a threat to the
health and safety of the consumers in the states. For this purpose, the global mechanism of awareness
campaign should be established to let people know how to battle this situation[ CITATION Car20 \l 1033
]. The awareness programs should be implemented globally, and the alternative source of
manufacturing should be suggested so that the problem can be resolved in the long term[ CITATION
She18 \l 1033 ].The awareness programs should consist of the ways such as the flushing of water
before usage might remove the lead from the pipes, and the use of filters might increase the
consumers' safety that consumer the water for drinking purposes. Furthermore, apart from awareness
campaigns worldwide, the establishment of certified teams should be formulated that should be
certified on the global platform; the teams should actively participate in consumer products and
drinking water field where the risk is high, this will allow them to test the subjects, and their
declaration of positive and negative feedback should satisfy the consumers for the usage of water and
the consumer products[ CITATION Car20 \l 1033 ]
2
References
Carter, J. A., Erhardt, R. J., Jones, B. T., & Donati, G. L. (2020). Survey of Lead in Drinking Water
from Schools and Child Care Centers Operating as Public Water Suppliers in North Carolina, USA:
Implications for Future Legislation. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(22), 14152-14160.
Naranjo, V. I., Hendricks, M., & Jones, K. S. (2020). Lead toxicity in children: An unremitting
public health problem. Pediatric Neurology.
Njati, S. Y., & Maguta, M. M. (2019). Lead-based paints and children's PVC toys are potential
sources of domestic lead poisoning–A review. Environmental pollution, 249, 1091-1105.
Shen, Z., Hou, D., Zhang, P., Wang, Y., Zhang, Y., Shi, P., & O'Connor, D. (2018). Lead-based
paint in children's toys sold on China's major online shopping platforms. Environmental
pollution, 241, 311-318.

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“Lead in Toys and Drinking Water”

among local toy manufacturers will be minimized due to international manufacturing

standards[ CITATION Nar20 \l 1033 ].

more than it do today? How?

consumer satisfaction and safety[ CITATION Nar20 \l 1033 ].

safe mechanisms should be enforced on water consumption, and other

consumable products, to safeguard from potential lead poisoning?

the consumer products[ CITATION Car20 \l 1033 ]

Implications for Future Legislation. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(22), 14152-14160.

public health problem. Pediatric Neurology.

sources of domestic lead poisoning–A review. Environmental pollution, 249, 1091-1105.

paint in children's toys sold on China's major online shopping platforms. Environmental

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