voici le texte : new YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Toymaker Mattel Corp.
agreed Friday to pay $2.3 million in civil penalties for violating a federal lead paint ban that resulted in the recall of millions of its Barbie, Dora and other popular-
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branded toys in 2007.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the fine against the No. 1 toymaker and its Fisher-Price pre-school division was the highest ever for the agency's regulated product violations and the third largest in its history.
• While agreeing to the penalty, Mattel and Fisher-Price denied violating any laws, the CPSC said.
"This penalty should serve notice to toy makers that CPSC is committed to the safety of children, to reducing their exposure to lead, and to the implementation of the
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Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act," CPSC acting chairman Thomas Moore, said in a statement.
The agency said Mattel (MAT, Fortune 500) and Fisher-Price knowingly -- as defined in the Consumer Product Safety Act - imported and sold children's toys with paints 0 or other surface coatings that contained lead levels that
violated a 30-year-old federal law.
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In 1978, a federal ban was put in place that prohibited toys and other children's articles from having more than 0.06% lead by weight in paints or surface coatings.
The agency said the penalty settles allegations that Mattel imported up to 900,000 non-compliant toys| between September 2006 and August 2007, including the Sarge toy car from the movie "Cars" and numerous
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Barbie accessory toys.
Fisher-Price imported up to 1.1 million non-compliant toys between July 2006 and August 2007, including certain licensed character toys, the agency said.
In 2007, about 95 Mattel and Fisher-Price toy models 35 were determined to have exceeded this limit, the agency said. Lead can be toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health consequences.
Mattel recalled millions of Chinese-manufactured toys in 2007 for both lead paint contamination and small parts
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..."Mattel promptly took a series of steps after discovering compliance issues with some of our toys at that time. We were able to effectively minimize any potential concerns by launching a fast-track recall of the 45 affected product in conjunction with the CPSC and other global regulatory agencies," the statement said.
"By taking several steps to enhance our product compliance protocols and procedures to confirm that every Mattel toy is safe for children to enjoy. Mattel
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continues to be vigilant and rigorous in ensuring the quality and safety of our toys," the company said.

et les questions :

a) What was the reason for Mattel's $2.3 million fine?

b) Why did the Consumer Product Safety Commission impose such a high penalty on Mattel and Fisher-Price?

c) Did Mattel and Fisher-Price
admit to violating any laws?
d) What was the federal ban put in place in 1978 regarding lead levels in children's toys?

e) How many non-compliant
toys did Mattel import between September 2006 and August 2007, according to the CPSC?

f) Which popular-branded toys were among those recalled by Mattel in 2007 due to lead paint contamination?

g) What are some of the potential health consequences of ingesting lead?

h) What steps did Mattel take after discovering compliance issues with their toys in 2007