Parents can rest a little easier tonight knowing that more than 4,400 “ski scooters” were seized at the Port of Charleston after testing positive for dangerously high levels of lead.
Manufactured in Taiwan and bound for an online toy distributor’s facility in northeast South Carolina, the poisonous playthings were stopped by local U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in early January. The $145,000 shipment of snow sleds was then referred to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) for testing. It was then determined that the toys exceeded standard levels for lead that may pose a health risk for children.
“Preventing dangerous imported goods from entering our communities is a top CBP priority,” said Joanne Fogg, acting Charleston-area port director. “The dangers lead contamination pose to our children are well-documented. I’m proud of the work our officers have done in partnering with CPSC personnel to keep our communities safe.”
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Charleston seaport district ranks sixth in the nation in terms of the dollar value of imports and exports, handling almost $75.8 billion worth of goods in 2015. To put that total in terms we can all understand, that’s roughly equivalent to more than 2.3 billion lead-contaminated scooters.
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