The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing today that Imperial Toy Corp., of Los Angeles, Calif., has agreed to pay a $200,000 civil penalty for importing and selling children's toys that violated federal safety standards. To protect young children from choking, aspiration, or ingestion hazards, federal law prohibits toys intended for children under three from having small parts.
The civil penalty levied against Imperial (pdf) is the largest ever imposed against a toy company penalized or sued for the first time for violating CPSC's small parts regulations.
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California also enjoined Imperial from violating CPSC's toy regulations in the future and the court is requiring that Imperial's toys be independently tested for safety and proper age-grading prior to importation and distribution.
The lawsuit against Imperial, which was filed in May 2003, alleged that between 1998 and 2001 the company imported two models of toys (totaling about 10,000 units) which had small parts in violation of CPSC regulations. The toys were candy-filled plastic trucks and dolls' feeding sets. The trucks were recalled in 1998 and the dolls' feeding sets were recalled in 2001. Through the inspection and detective work of CPSC and the U.S. Customs Service, many of these toys were seized at the Port of Long Beach before they could reach store shelves. No incidents or injuries have been reported with those toys that made their way into children's hands.
In 2003, CPSC recalled 80 toys and children's products that posed a risk of injury. In 2002, the latest year for which CPSC has data, there were an estimated 212,000 children (under 15 years old) treated in hospital emergency rooms due to toy-related incidents. There were 13 deaths associated with toys.
The Department of Justice's Office of Consumer Litigation handled this case on CPSC's behalf.
Imperial denies that its toys violated CPSC regulations.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
For lifesaving information:
- Visit CPSC.gov.
- Sign up to receive our email alerts.
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, Threads, LinkedIn and Truth Social.
- Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.
- Call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270).
- Contact a media specialist.
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800