It has been established for around 30 years that lead paint may pose a health risk to children. In particular, items coated in lead paint which children may chew on are a very high risk. High levels of lead may be absorbed through a child's mouth and into their blood, leading to lead poisoning. In recent years a number of toy manufacturers have put out lead paint recall notices on some of their products, which is where they launch a public appeal for customers to return products which may be affected. Such recalls have been issued after it has come to light that higher than acceptable levels of lead were included in the paint covering the toys. Manufacturers such as Fisher-Price and Mattel import most, if not all, of their products from abroad, most notably China. In many of these countries regulations are not anywhere near as strict as in the U.S. Many of the cheapest paints and other materials used by factories in these countries may contain levels of materials such as lead which are considered to be dangerous. In most cases manufacturers have claimed to only be aware of this compromise in safety after a substantial number of units have been sold, therefore forcing a recall.