China exports lead poisoning

In light of this artical provided by World Net Daily, the use of lead based paint is being investigated in the use of iron doors imported from China! Use American made and rest easy.

WASHINGTON – In the wake of scandals involving tainted food and toothpaste from China comes word of a new concern from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as well as the Food and Drug Administration – toys, makeup, glazed pottery and other products that contain significant amounts of lead.

While lead poisoning among children was once mainly caused by old paint, U.S. manufacturers long ago banned the ingredient. Today, a new rash of high lead levels in the bloodstreams of American kids is being caused by foreign products – mainly from China.

So serious is the resurgence of lead poisoning among U.S. children that the Iowa Department of Public Health is working on writing a new law to require mandatory testing of those entering school for the first time.

Lead poisoning, once a concern mainly in dilapidated urban areas, can cause learning disabilities, kidney failure, anemia and irreversible brain damage in children.

Rita Gergely, chief of Iowa's bureau of lead poisoning prevention, specifically cited concerns about children's jewelry imported from China.

Because of lead contamination, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of several children's items all imported from China:


High School Musical toys

Children's metal jewelry was found to contain high levels of lead. About 103,000 multicolored necklaces, bracelets, earrings and charms imported by Tween Brands Inc. of New Albany, Ohio, were affected. Some of the jewelry have the words "High School Musical" printed on them or include pictures of the popular movie. Others have frogs, hearts, stars, dogs with dog bones, flowers, and monkeys that hang from silver, black or brown chains or cords. The jewelry was sold at Limited Too and Justice retail stores nationwide.

Toy drums coated with red paint were found to contain excessive levels of lead. About 4,500 of the Eli's Small Drums and Liberty's Large Drums were recalled. They were sold in gift and collectible stores nationwide and were imported by Boyds Collection Ltd in Pennsylvania.

About 3,000 action figure toys called "Invincibles Transport Converters" contain surface paints with high levels of lead. They were imported by the Army & Air Force Exchange Service of Dallas.

Children's gardening gloves imported by MTD Products of Valley City, Ohio, were found to have a stamp-painted logo on the backside containing high levels of lead.

Children's turquoise rings imported by Cardinal Distributing in Baltimore were found to have high lead levels. About 300,000 of the silver-colored rings were recalled.

About 200,000 children's necklaces, bracelets and rings imported by Spandrel Sales and Marketing Inc. of Tempe, Ariz., were found to contain high lead levels. The recalled jewelry included pendants that hang from silver-colored bracelet and necklace chains, and silver-colored rings with a charm on top. Charm shapes include silver-colored crosses, suns, moons, stars, butterflies, cupids, angels, keys, elephants, hands, cell phones, fish and shoes. They were sold mostly in vending machines for 25 cents.

About 5,000 bamboo game sets called "Anima" were found to contain lead paint. The products were imported by and sold in Target stores nationwide.

About 132,000 children's necklaces using a fish symbol, popular among Christians, were found to be contaminated with lead. They were imported by the Oriental Trading Company Inc., of Omaha, Neb.

Multi-colored and solid-colored sidewalk chalk packaged in a clear plastic backpack-type carrying case and imported by Toys R Us were also found to contain significant levels of lead. The label reads: "Chalk To Go … 24 pieces, sidewalk chalk in different colors, fun chalk shapes."

All of these products were recalled in May, and they were the only products recalled by the CPSC for high lead levels.

Meanwhile, the FDA, which has been on high alert regarding China imports since the poison pet food scandal broke, warns about eye shadow imported from China. Called kohl, it is used to create black lines around the eyes. Not only has the makeup been found to contain high lead levels, eight brands of Chinese kohl were halted by the FDA because of "microbiological contamination."

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found bacterial parasites in contact lens solution imported from China. At least 21 consumers were found to have developed eye conditions as a result of using Complete Moisture Plus.

As WND reported yesterday, the FDA issued consumer warnings to avoid using potentially deadly Chinese-made toothpaste, while the Chinese government continued to deny there was any danger from the contaminant diethylene glycol – a solvent used in antifreeze that killed 107 Americans when it was introduced in an elixir 70 years ago.

Though the FDA is not aware of any U.S. reports of poisonings from the toothpaste, 51 people died in Panama after using a cold medicine laced with DEG.

A slew of Chinese exports have recently been banned or turned away by U.S. inspectors including, wheat gluten tainted with the chemical melamine that has been blamed for dog and cat deaths in North America, monkfish that turned out to be toxic pufferfish, drug-laced frozen eel and juice made with unsafe color additives.

As WND reported earlier this week, China, the leading exporter of seafood to the U.S., is raising most of its fish products in water contaminated with raw sewage and compensating by using dangerous drugs and chemicals, many of which are banned by the FDA.

The stunning news followed WND's report last week that FDA inspectors report tainted food imports from China are being rejected with increasing frequency because they are filthy, are contaminated with pesticides and tainted with carcinogens, bacteria and banned drugs.

China has consistently topped the list of countries whose products were refused by the FDA – and that list includes many countries, including Mexico and Canada, who export far more food products to the U.S. than China.

Steel prices

Well, we are hearing rumors of steel prices rising over the next quarter. This will directly effect the decorative iron door and window market prices. While this will cause an increase in price, it will do so world wide. Steel is a commodity and is publicly traded as such keeping the price of steel the same from one country to another. If you plan to purchase a door or window this year, the best time to buy is now.

Iron Door and Window up keep tips

Cleaning your decorative iron door or window is very important, once or even twice a year depending on your location. Most decorative iron doors and windows are coated with a clear lacquer over the faux paint. The degree it is applied will very a great deal from one manufacturer to another. The ideal cleaner seems to be Murphy's Oil Soap, but any mild detergent used sparingly with lots of water will work. Most scuffs and scratches are easily wiped away with your solution and cloth, but the most important step is drying with a dry cloth immediately after cleaning. This would be the "wipe on, wipe off" move as you go. Missing this step leaves a streaky mess.

If you have grease fittings on your hinges, you must inspect very carefully before applying grease. Remember that a hinge is an open unsealed mechanism and will readily leak grease all over the place. You should see rust, hear a squeak (locate the squeaky hinge), or feel a resistance when opening before you decide to grease up your iron door. If necessary, you can purchase grease guns at your local auto parts dealer or even Wal Mart. Once you've loaded your grease gun, and you have pumped it until the grease is at the end of the nozzle, push the grease nozzle onto the grease fitting. In most cases you will hear a snap, but not always. Only pump one or two at most before operating the door back and forth to work in the grease. If you pump enough that you see grease coming from you hinge, you've used to much.

Door bottoms, or sweeps, are consumable and will ware out over time depending on the use of the door. You can pick up replacements at your local hardware store for around $5 a piece. The problem is going to be gathering enough friends to lift the door panels off, lay them on their side, remove and replace the sweep, and re-setting the panel. When purchasing a door bottom, you will look for a 1 3/4" size. Try to find one that does not have a connector rib to fit into a groove, or also avoid sweeps with tall mounting legs to be screwed to the face of the door. You will probably need to have some new self tapping 1/4" sheet metal screws to re-attach. Run a continuous bead of silicone across the bottom of the door panel before applying the new sweep. Attach with screws about 6" to 8" apart.

For more tips and tricks, or to view some American Made Iron Doors, go to www.irondoorsofatlanta.com

Decorative Wrought Iron Doors (brake down)

The modern replacement iron entry door is composed of:

• Steel tube foam filled jamb
• Steel tube foam filled door panels
• Solid steel scroll/bar
• Glass panel, or glass stop

Though advertised as 1/8" steel; most out of country manufacturers use 12 gauge steel tubing for their components which is thinner than 1/8". The same tubing produced in the U.S. is more readily 11 gauge, this is a true 1/8". Doesn't sound like much, but it is the difference between denting with a hammer blow or not.

The iron scroll is almost always a solid square or round bar, size determined by design. The "status Que" has been simple tapered scroll ends instead of decorative ends such as fish tail or spiral due to cost cuts and the commercialization of the decorative iron door. Even now some manufacturers are cutting corners using a CNC plasma to cut instead of bend their scroll. Needless to say, the quality is obviously below average.

Glass panels are the "crown jewels" to any iron salesman or woman. This feature does have advantages over conventional doors in that it allows you to answer the door with limited exposure, and it makes glass cleaning a breeze. The problem however is the seal around the glass panel. This seal is a compression seal based on how tight the window latches are adjusted. To little and you see leakage, to much and something goes SNAP! It seams that all the manufactures use a simple flat cast aluminium cam latch. This latch type has proven problematic for both the China and Mexico doors, breakage is common. Using a cast iron or forged iron window latch is a much safer and beneficial upgrade.

There are hundreds of types of hinges on the market used for iron doors, windows, and gates. The most common is the grease fitted barrel hing, also the welded strap, and turned steel bushed hinges. Of all the choices the steel bushed hinge offers longevity and is more user friendly than any of the rest. It requires no more lubrication than your typical front door, and has a service life twice that of strap or butt weld on hinges.

When searching for an iron door or window, be sure to check out:

• Where the door or window is made
• What is the true thickness of the steel
• How thier scroll is made (cut vs. bend)
• What type of glass panels or glass prep is offered
• What is included in the ticket price
• How long will it take to ship
• Warranties comparison

Take a look at www.irondoorsofatlanta.com to see some American Made Iron Doors.