16. The US tried to issue safety warnings which were unsafe
During the Christmas season the US government, through the Consumer Product Safety Commission, creates drives to remind consumers when shopping to exercise caution, particularly for children’s toys. Warnings to ensure toys are age-appropriate or may contain parts which present a choking hazard, or sharp edges, and so on appeared in magazines, posters, and Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on television. Packaging was not yet inundated with similar messages warning of dire consequences, as they are today. In 1974 the CPSC issued lapel buttons, fastened with a pin, which read “For kid’s sake, think toy safety”. About 80,000 were distributed.
Within a few weeks, they had to recall the buttons. They were coated with a paint which contained lead in amounts which were excessive, many had sharp edges from a flaw in manufacturing, and they broke apart easily, creating small pieces which were a choking hazard. The buttons had not yet been distributed to the public, and the recall from CPSC offices was relatively simple, but when the organization attempted to recoup the cost of having them made the manufacturer declined, stating that the specifications had not listed any safety requirements and the buttons complied with the terms of the contract. The national press heard the story, and the nation was duly informed.