Consumerist’s ongoing lead recall tally has reached 14,431,550 products recalled just for lead in the first 10 months of 2007. October, in addition to increasing our product tally, also saw the debut of two new countries of origin for lead recalls. Welcome, Taiwan and Vietnam!
lead
Consumer Reports Finds "Troubling" Levels Of Lead In Unrecalled Fisher-Price Toy
By 10.29.07
Consumer Reports is busy testing lead levels in children’s toys that are not on any recall list just to see if they are safe. They’re nice like that.
See All CPSC Toy Recalls On One Page
By 10.25.07
So the CPSC is always recalling all sorts of crap, like the surprising candles which could lead to fire, or the snowboards which could lead to falling, but as a concerned parent, all you care about is the toys. The freakin’ toys. The ones with the lead and the chokey parts. Well, even though their website coder probably doubles as the meatloaf server at lunchtime, they’ve got a catchall page that is your go-to spot for all the toy hazard related recalls. Just memorize the simple URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html.
CPSC Says Consumer Lead Testing Kits Are A Complete Waste Of Time
By 10.22.07
The CPSC has announced the results of a special investigation into the effectiveness of home lead testing kits. The verdict? Don’t waste your time.
Walmart Recalls "Realistic Animals" Tainted With Lead
By 10.21.07
A plague of lead has stricken Walmart’s stock of “realistic animals”. Affected animals include farm animals, jungle animals, and even the feared dinosaur. The animals are currently trapped in chinsy cellophane bags clad shut by a brandless cardboard strip that proudly boasts: 88 Cents!
“Wal-Mart said independent testing revealed excessive levels of lead in the base material, not the surface coating.”
By 10.18.07
../../../..//2007/10/18/despite-problems-involving-chinese-made/
Despite problems involving Chinese-made goods sold in the U.S., a Chinese spokesperson says that orders for Christmas toys are “up” and that factories can’t keep up with demand. But he also says, “I urge the importers of Chinese toys to come to China and buy more Chinese toys and I wish children around the world a Merry Christmas,” which makes the claim sound like PR spin. [Reuters]
By 10.17.07
../../../..//2007/10/17/alberts-skull-pails-filled-with/
Albert’s Skull Pails Filled With Halloween Candy Mix (lead), Antioch Cool Clip™ and Mini Cool Clip™ Bookmarks (lead), Guidecraft Tabletop Puppet Theaters (lead), John Deere Gator Utility Vehicles (injury), Nautilus Bowflex® Ultimate 2 Home Gyms (injury), Plow & Hearth Recalls Aluminum Chimenea (fire, burn), Dunkin’ Donuts Glow Sticks Due (choking, strangulation), Procycle Rocky Mountain-Solo Bicycles (fall).
Winne-The-Pooh Playsets Are Contaminated With Lead, Not Honey
By 10.12.07
Winnie-the-Pooh is the latest character to fall victim to the lead toy contamination epidemic, according to the CPSC, which recalled the playsets yesterday.
By 10.12.07
../../../..//2007/10/12/jeff-gordon-mini-helmets-lead/
“Jeff Gordon” Mini Helmets (lead), Kipp Brothers Bendable Dinosaur Toys (lead), Cracker Barrel Princess Magnetic Travel Art Set Lap Desks (lead), Disney™ Deluxe Winnie-the-Pooh 23-Piece Play Sets (lead), J.C. Penney Deluxe Wood Art Sets (lead), J.C. Penney Breyer 2006 Stirrup Ornaments (lead), Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Country Wheat Rolls (actually potato rolls, with undeclared milk allergen), Aliki Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo Made with White Chicken (Listeria), J.C. Penney “Alyssa” Shag Rugs (fire), Ross Stores Turtle Sprinklers (laceration), Collections Etc. Inc. Double Hammocks (falling), Alltrade Tools Recalls Power Tool Batteries (burn and laceration), Fisher Controls International, Gas Regulators (leaks).
60% Of Lipsticks Contain Lead
By 10.12.07
Well, this explains a lot about children’s beauty pageants: the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 brand-name lipsticks, including brands like Cover Girl, L’Oreal, and Christian Dior, and are reporting that “61 percent had detectable lead levels of 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm).” One-third of the lipsticks tested had levels higher than 0.1 ppm, the FDA’s safety limit for lead in candy.
Environmental Group Says Curious George Doll Is Tainted With Lead
By 10.11.07
The Center for Environmental Health says they’ve tested a Curious George doll that is currently on stores shelves and found that it contains more than “ten times the legal lead limit”, prompting Marvel Entertainment Group to stop new shipments from China.
Do Consumers Actually Participate In Recalls? (No.)
By 10.10.07
Despite all the hand-wringing on our part, we consumers don’t actually participate in recalls at a very high level. This leaves both manufacturers and the CPSC in the dark about whether their warnings are reaching the right people—which is why the House approved a bill this Tuesday that would require manufacturers of certain infant and toddler products to keep registration info on their customers.
1.6 Million Cub Scout Badges Contaminated With Lead
By 10.6.07
A scout may be trustworthy, loyal, and helpful – but not lead free, according to a recent announcement from the Boy Scouts of America. The scouts are recalling 1.6 million Chinese-made badges contaminated with lead paint. The totem badges were issued to 7 and 8-year-old cub scouts who completed certain tasks, “including memorizing the Cub Scouts’ motto, sign, handshake, and salute, and mastering an elective such as caring for a pet, growing a plant indoors, or making a stencil pattern.”
Do Baby Einstein Products Make Your Child Stupid? Well, The Lead Tainted Blocks Don't Help
By 10.4.07
Back in August, the University of Washington issued a press release about a study in the Journal of Pediatrics that examined the effect that baby videos (such as the Disney “Baby Einstein” series) had on young children.
By 10.4.07
../../../..//2007/10/04/various-kb-toys-recalls-wooden/
Various KB Toys Recalls Wooden Toys (lead), “Pirates of the Caribbean” Medallion Squeeze Lights (lead), Dollar General Frankenstein Tumblers (lead), “Totally Me!” Children’s Decorating Sets (lead), Baby Einstein Discover & Play Color Blocks (lead), Dollar General metal keyrings (lead), Antioch Bookmarks and Journals (lead), Sports Authority Alpine Design Aluminum Water Bottles (lead).
By 10.3.07
../../../..//2007/10/03/after-independent-tests-show-lead/
After independent tests show lead in Walmart pet toys, Instead of solving the problem or even fulfilling a pledge to test the toys, Walmart summoned one of its PR minions from a pile of feces located under a cesspool in Chernobyl to try to bully ConsumerAffairs.com with legal threats and disinformation. [ConsumerAffairs]
Thomas & Friends Customers Sent Lead Tainted Toys As Apology For Lead Tainted Toys
By 10.2.07
If you returned a recalled Thomas & Friends toy to RC2, you probably received an apology and a “bonus gift.” We hope you didn’t give the toy to your kid, because some of the “bonus gifts” have been recalled for lead contamination.
Media Roundup: What Should Parents Do About Recalled Toys?
By 9.30.07
The toy recalls are still big news and something (the autumnal equinox, perhaps?) triggered an avalanche of “Oh, no! What should parents do?” advice stories from the media. Most, if not all, mentioned recalls.org,but you can also subscribe to Consumerist’s “recalls” feed.
