Mattel recalls 9 million more toys

Lead paint and magnets force Mattel to pull products made in China

Batman and Barbie may be among the most beloved playthings, but on Tuesday Mattel added them to a growing list of recalled toys made in China.

The recall -- Mattel's second in two weeks, with the last one including Sesame Street characters such as Elmo and Big Bird -- covered more than 9 million toys sold in the United States, including some featuring Batman, Polly Pocket, Barbie and Sarge from the movie "Cars." Mattel said some toys contained lead paint and others contained magnets children might swallow.

No illnesses have been reported, but the government is warning parents to make sure children are not playing with any recalled toys. Mattel ran ads in national newspapers to reassure parents.

The recall follows a series of problems involving Chinese-made products, including toys, tires and toothpaste. Regulators and lawmakers are considering stricter scrutiny of imported products. American companies and Chinese manufacturers are scrambling to show that they are taking precautions.

"I am disappointed in what has occurred and what has transpired," Robert Eckert, chairman and CEO of Mattel, said in a conference call Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.

"No system is perfect," he said. "We are continuing to test thousands of toys, and we could have additional issues."

Some local retailers learned of the recall Monday night. "By the time the stores opened this morning, we were confident the merchandise was not on the shelves," Toys "R" Us spokeswoman Kathleen Waugh said Tuesday.

Still, some shop owners said the string of recalls has them rethinking the items they stock. Alan Cason, owner of AbraKIDabra Toys in Cary, is considering a section of "made in the USA" toys. "I've had people who have told me they would be willing to pay more for American-made products," he said.

Globalization will make filling that section tough -- 80 percent of the 3 billion toys sold in the United States each year are made in China.

Courtney Clark, a Raleigh mother of children aged 5, 3 and 10 months, bets the recalls will prompt parents to scrutinize toys: "Where you got them; where they came from."

(Staff writer Josh Shaffer contributed to this report.)

What was recalled?

Mattel, working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, on Tuesday recalled 9 million toys made in China, including:

Polly Pocket dolls

Batman action figures

'Cars' movie die-cast miniatures

Doggy Day Care playsets