Time 4 Crafts Kids Apron recalled for violating phthalate limit

Item # 16625  UPC 062823166257

Health Canada, in cooperation with Ontario-based CTG Brands Incorporated, issued a recall announcement for 22, 400 vinyl Time 4 Crafts Kid's Aprons.  The child-sized apron is yellow with blue trim and fastens with cloth ties at the waist.

Health Canada has a product sampling and evaluation program to assure the ongoing safety of children’s products sold in the Canadian marketplace.  During one of these sampling, it was discovered that the apron contained the chemical plastic softener Di-Ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP) at a level that exceeded Canadian restricted limits.

While no injuries or illness have been reported, studies suggest that some phthalates like DEHP may cause reproductive and developmental concerns in young children when products containing one or more specific phthalates (including DEHP) are sucked or chewed for extended lengths of time.

The aprons affected were sold across Canada from February 2008 through January 21012.

Remove the apron from children, dispose of it and contact CTG Brands Inc. at 1-905-761-3330.

Breaking hazard prompts bike handlebar recall

Consumer Product Safety Commission has joined with Nitto of Japan to recall more than two thousand Nitto Aluminum Bicycle Handlebars that have been reported breaking during use causing loss of control and two incidents of injury. 

Model # B259AA came in
red, blue, black, gold, green,
pink and silver

Importers Euro Asia Imports (La Crescenta, CA), Bicycle technologies International (Santa Fe, NM), and The Merry Sales Company (San Francisco, CA) were all named in the recalled.  The handlebars were sold on bike specialty stores across the United States and Canada between January 2008 and July 2011. Consumers would have paid between $60-$80 each for the product.

"NITTO" and "B259" printed
at end of handlebars 

Stop using the affected handlebars immediately and contact Euro Asia Imports for free replacement handlebars. Euro Asia Imports can e contacted by phone at 888-662-1814) or on the company website: www.EuroAsiaImports.com.

Health Canada recall at this link. 

Toys R Us® announces their 6th “Great Trade-In” Event

Giant toy retailer, ToysR Us®, Inc., is conducting the "Great Trade-In" event designed to raise awareness of the potential dangers of using recalled, old, or second-hand children’s and childcare products. 

In 2011, the children’s product safety advocates at Kids In Danger researched the product safety issues available to view at CPSC’s new pubic database, SaferProducts.gov.  Their review showed about 15% of the reports / injuries relating to children's products that had previously been recalled. 

Jerry Storch, Toys R Us® COE and Chairman, reiterated the company’s commitment to educating their customers and remaining on the cutting edge of child safety issues.  Approximately 600,000 used baby and children’s products have been discovered and removed from use since the first event in 2009. 

Trade-ins have been in various stages of disrepair from normal wear & tear to missing parts or obvious damage.  Some of those recovered products were involved in past recalls; others were simply out of compliance with today’s stricter standards.

The company's sixth "Great Trade-In" event starts on Friday, January 27 and continues through Monday, February 20.  The event is happening at all Babies R Us® and Toys R Us® locations across the United States. 

Products being accepted for trade-in include used travel systems, highchairs, car seats, infant swings, play yards, walkers, entertainers, cribs or kid’s beds, strollers, bassinets and infant bouncers.  Old products can be exchanged for a 25% savings on any new baby products from specific manufacturers.

Manufacturers taking part in the event include:

Babi Italia®                  

Babies"R"Us                 

Baby Cache®

Baby Einstein™              

Baby Trend®               

Bergamo®

Bright Starts™               

Britax®                       

Carter's®

Chicco®                       

Combi®

Contours by Kolcraft®

Delta™

Europa Baby®

Evenflo®

Graco®

Jeep®

Lamaze®

Little Tikes®

Maxi-Cosi®

Safety 1st®

S1 by Safety 1st®

Signature Series by Graco®

Sorelle™

Step2®

Summer Infant®

To be sure the local store has sufficient quantity of products on hand for the trade-ins, childcare centers or other similar organizations that would like to exchange items in larger quantities are asked to contact their local Babies R Us® and Toys R Us® store before returning their used items.

Florida-based toy importers charged with conspiracy

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) is making an impact on importers.  Not only has this law tasked toy importers with strict new testing requirements and more specific chemical restrictions (lead and phthalates), but it has also increased the penalties for those who break the rules.

This week the Miami Herald reported that two Florida importers were arrested and charged with conspiring to import toys that violated the U.S. lead (Pb) and other banned substances requirements.

The corporations involved:

• LM Import-Export
• Lam’s Investment Corporation
• LK Toys Corporation

 The Individuals charged:

• Jung Lam (age 55)
• Kit Yeung (age 37)

Apparently this is not their first brush with the law. According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Lam and Leung have  “conspired to distribute children’s toys that posed risks of choking, aspiration and ingestion.” Those cases included lead limit, small part and counterfeit product violations. The defendants are also suspected of falsifying information on custom declaration forms.

Lee Carter Company Infant Rattle poses choking hazard

Lee Carter Company, based in San Francisco, CA is having a bad week.  Earlier Safety Spot wrote about a recall of Lee Carter's set of 12 Mexican wrestling figures due to excessive lead in the paint.  In addition to that recall, the company just announced another recall for 25,000 Infant Rattles.

The handle of the rattle is small enough to fit into the back of the throat, creating a choking hazard for infants. The federal safety requirement for rattles (16 CFR 1510) restricts any part of a rattle from “entering and penetrating to the full depth of a cavity in a test fixture with dimensions shown in figure 1.”

The colorful woven-plastic rattle has a bell captured inside and measures 4-1/2” from end to end. The retail hangtag is printed with the words “Made in Mexico” and “Lee Carter Company.” Just as with the wrestling figures also recalled this week, the rattles were sold in Mexican craft stores across the USA.

The Rattles involved in this recall, sold for $4 each from February 2011 and through October 2011.  Consumers who have purchased these figures should scour the kids’ toy boxes and remove them immediately and return them to Lee Carter Co. for a refund replacement product credit.

The company can be contacted directly by collect call to (415) 824-2004 or via their website at http://www.leecartercompany.com.

Mexican wrestling action figures exceed allowable lead (Pb) limits

About 7,000 sets of Super Luchamania [Wrestling] Action Figures, produced in México and distributed throughout the United States by Lee Carter Co., of San Francisco, have been recalled due to excessive levels of lead in the paint.

Sold in packs of 12 for about $12-@14 a pack, these wrestling figures stand about 4” high and have the words “Super Luchamania” printed on the product packaging.

The product was sold at Mexican craft stores across the USA from June 2000 through October 2011.

Consumers who have purchased these figures should scour kids’ toy and sand boxes and remove the the figures immediately. Return them to Lee Carter Co. for a refund replacement product credit.

The company can be contacted directly by collect call to (415) 824-2004 or via their website at http://www.leecartercompany.com. 

Cadbury Egg Hunting Kit potentially harmful to more than just your diet.

There is something to be said for early shoppers.  You know, the people who started their Christmas shopping for 2012 on December 26, 2011.  Those early birds who got an early start on their Easter 2012 shopping will be interested in the latest Health Canada recall of 4,825 Cadbury Complete Egg Hunting Kits.

The set (shown here) contains a small white plush bunny, three 34g crème eggs, two bags of mini Cadbury eggs and twenty-seven small chocolate eggs.  While the candy eggs are dangerous to your Weight Watchers point total, it is the plush toy that poses the most harm for young children. 

UPC Code 6120022818

Best if Used Before Dates: 

2012AL 01 and 2012 JL 01

The hard plastic eyes and plastic whiskers can detach from the toy exposing a potential choking hazard for children.

The kit was imported by Ontario-based FX Copacking and Logistics, and distributed throughout Canada by Kraft Canada, Inc. The Egg Hunting Kits sold from December 2011 through January 2012 are affected.

Consumers who purchased one of these recalled sets should remove the bunny from children and destroy the product.  Contact Kraft Foods Canada at 1-800-394-6989 for more details.

Canadian "Dolly Daydreams" interrupted by nightmare

Little Janie puts baby to sleep and pretends she is dreaming of lollipops, soft kitties and other delightful thoughts.  Never would Janie imagine that dolly's daydreams include the nightmare that the doll's maker would soon go through when dolly is found to be considered a danger to Janie.  

Toy Galaxy of Richmond Hill in Ontario, Canada is recalling 2,400 “Dolly Daydreams Cradle Baby” doll and crib sets distributed in Canada.  Sold from August through December of 2011, the soft plastic in the doll’s head contains a specifically restricted phthalate called Di-Ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP). 

In Canada, as in the USA, only limited, allowable levels of DEHP are permitted in toys.  DEHP is restricted in the United States under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) and has also been restricted in California under Prop 65 for many years.

Studies suggest that DEHP may cause both reproductive issues and developmental irregularities in children if the material containing the phthalate is chewed or sucked on for long periods of time. Phthalates used to soften the otherwise hard plastic can leach out of the plastic and become very accessible to the children.

The product affected comes in a variety of colors, but the Item Number 30263 and UPC Code 626881302639are both printed on the packaging.

Consumers should stop using the doll set, dispose of the product, and contact Toy Galaxy by phone at 1-905-470-2999 for instructions.

Ice cream scooper turned ninja weapon = product recall

There are two things that are irresistible to a great many home cooks: Ice cream and Pampered Chef® parties.  In late December 2011 the very popular Pampered Chef® aluminum ice cream dippers had a problem.  The normally docile scoopers were found to be able to transformed into projectiles capable of injury to the innocent user.

The scooper's secret weapon is the non-toxic “defrosting” liquid that fills the handle.  This liquid warms from the heat of the user's hand during use, which in turn makes it easier to scoop out frozen ice cream.  However, if the handles themselves are placed into warm water, the cap & seal can loosen and pressure is created inside the handle to project the seal and cap with “significant force.”  Anyone standing in the way of this projectile is in danger of receiving lacerations or bruising if contact is made.

For this reason, The Pampered Chef® is recalling 20,000 of the popular dippers that sold from July 2010 through September 2010.

Customers who purchased the dippers during this time frame via the Pampered Chef® website (www.pamperedchef.com) or from an authorized Pampered Chef® consultant should call Pampered Chef® by phone at (877) 917-2433.  A replacement /refund form can also be completed on line at this link.

Bicycle child carriers pose safety risk for young passengers

In all seasons around the USA one can see toddlers being towed behind mom or dad’s bike protected carefully inside a child bicycle carrier of some kind or another.  Based in Calgary, Canada, Thule Child Transport Systems Ltd. has been making these type of child-safe carriers since 1992.  Their innovative products are sold throughout Canada, the United States and Europe.

On December 11, 2012, the company announced a recall of 44,000 bike trailers and 19,000 bike trailer conversion kits due to a concern that the hitch device can break or crack causing the trailer to disconnect from the bike.  This creates the potential for injury to the child passenger.

Thule has received twenty-four incident reports globally where this detachment occurred.  No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.

Chariot bicycle trailers involved in the recall were sold at specialty bike stores and websites from December 2005 through August 2010. Look for the serial # ranging from 1205-xxxx through 0710-xxxx on the left side of the frame.

Chariot conversion kits involved in the recall were sold at the same locations mentioned above during the date range of October 2002 through August 2011. The conversion kits can be identified by looking for Model # 20100503 printed on the aluminum hitch arm near the warning label. HOWEVER, older version of the conversion kit is also being called back. The older kits do not have a warning label, but instead have a push-button attachment where the hitch attaches to the carrier.

Anyone possessing one of the recalled products should stop using them and contact Chariot Carriers for a free repair kit and installation instructions.  The company can be reached by phone at (800) 262-8651 or on their website www.chariotcarriers.com.

Labeling error forces recall at Whole Food Markets

Rip Roarin’ Crab Soup byBlount Fine Foods is being pulled of the shelves at Eastern Coast Whole Foods Markets due to undeclared allergens.  The food label attached to the back of the soup container indicates the contents in error as Manhattan Clam Chowder. The product food content label does not list milk, crab and wheat as ingredients. People sensitive or allergic to these specific allergens can experience a very serious reaction if unknowingly ingested.

The product is packed in 16-ounce plastic tubs and is marked with a product code of 71116 / Lot No. 1202117D.  The Use or Freeze by date is February 10, 2012.

Products with these codes and date should not use the soup, but return it to the location of purchase for a refund.  Blount Fine Foods can be contacted via phone at 800-274-2526, or through their website at www.blountfinefoods.com.

Target Recalls Circo Childrens’ Travel Cases due to excessive lead

Target’s Circo 17” Children’s Travel Cases, sold in Target retail stores as well as the company’s online store (www.target.com) are being pulled off the shelves and recalled back from consumers for violating the federal lead limit in children’s products.

Approximately 139,000 units were sold from April through August 2011 for about $21 each.  

The recalled designs, shown in the photo below, come in two designs. One airplane design comes in both blue and red, with a soft-stuffed blue airplane secured to the zipper pull.  The second design is flowers and butterflies on either a teal or pink background. These both have a blue soft-stuffed stuffed butterfly on the zipper pull.  Look for the brand name “Circo” on the fabric handle.

Travel cases with the following UPC and date codes are involved in the recall:  

Circo girls’ 17” travel case

- Pink or teal

- UPC Code 618842135844

- Date Codes beginning with 01/11 thru 08/11

Circo boys’ 17” travel case

- Red or blue

- UPC Code 618842135868

- Date Codes beginning with 01/11 thru 08/11

Consumers should return any affected cases to any Target store for a full refund.Target can be contact via phone at (800) 440-0680, or at their website at www.target.com

Excessive Lead prompts childrens chair/stool recall in Puerto Rico

Elegant Gifts Mart Inc., a  Los-Angeles based importer, is recalling 1,600 folding chairs and 1,300 stools sold in 1 to Seven stores located in Puerto Rico.  The yellow surface coating on the metal tubes of the chair & stool set were found to have elevated levels of lead and therefore are not in compliance with federally mandated lead restrictions.

Photo: CPSC

The back of chair has the word "PENGKO" printed, and the model number "JCA8036" appears on a white sticker on the bottom of the seat. The stool is also sticker underneath with the model number "JCA8037.”

The pieces involved in this recall were sold for about $6 from September 2010 to the end of June 2011.

Consumers should not use the pieces and return them to their local 1 to Seven store for a full refund. In PR, the 1 to Seven stores can be reached via phone at (787) 290-5625.  In lieu of store return, consumers can also contact Elegant Gifts Mart directly at (323) 698-6805.  

Recent FDA Food Safety Recalls include favorite brand names

Check out these recent FDA food safety recalls:

Alpine Slicing and Cheese Conversion Company recalls “Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Premium Fondue Blend, Emmentaler Swiss & GruyereCheese,” "Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Mild Colored Cheddar Cheese”, and “Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese” due to possible health risk

guava sticks

RichProducts Corporation announces nationwide recall of 1/4 (Quarter)Sheet Vanilla Flavored Pre-Soaked Sponge Cake Artificially Flavored

Enhorabuena! Issues Allergy Alert On Undeclared Milk, Wheat, Tree Nuts, and Eggs in “Palitos de Guayaba” (Guava Sticks)

 

Voluntary Recall of Limited Quantity of 6-pack 250 mL Martinelli's Gold Medal Sparkling Cider

Bekkum Family Farms recalls Nordic Creamery Brand Grumpy Goat Shreds With A Sell By Date Of 10-MAR-12 due to possible Listeria contamination

Green Valley Food Corp. is further expanding its recent recall to include more Products due to possible consumer health risk.

IKEA’s ANTILOP style high chair safety restraint failure causes injuries

Photos from CPSC

The ANTILOP High Chairs, produced in China for IKEA North America Services, are being recalled due to the unexpected failure of the safety restraint system.  Eight reports of the buckle on the seat belt opening without warning have been filed globally. Three of those reports involved children who fell from the chair and received minor injuries.

The US$20 high chairs were sold in USA and Canada between August 2006 and through January 2010. A total of 169,000 chairs with supplier number 17389 are involved in this safety recall.

To identify the affected chairs, look for the model number on a label attached to the bottom for the chair seat.  The manufacture date and company identification are molded into the plastic seat itself (also n the bottom of the chair).  Only manufacture dates 0607 and 0911 are involved in this recall.

ANTILOP high chair – blue; Model #701.467.92

ANTILOP high chair – white; Model #501.467.93

ANTILOP high chair – red; Model #300.697.24

IKEA is offering free replacement restraint belts that can obtained by contacting the company via phone at 866-966-4532, or through their website at www.ikea-USA.com. 

Poor fabric quality results in Colorful Hearts Build-a-Bear recall

Build-A-Bear Workshops have some work to do on their reputation for safety.  While they do produce an adorable line of self-stuff soft animal pals, their record of assuring product safety has been tarnished in the past six months.

Just before Christmas, on December 23, 2011, Build-a-Bear Workshops issued their third product safety recall since August 2011.  The most recent recall is due to a potential choking hazard on certain production runs of the 16” Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears.  According to their website, the company advised consumers that the production runs involved in the recall used “substandard fabric which can tear around the eye possibly resulting in the eye falling out of the bear.”

The plastic eyeball, if released, would be a small part that could create a choking hazard for young children.  No injuries have been reported, but Build-a-Bear is recalling the products in an act of due caution and concern for the safety of the consumers who have purchased the bears.

Sales of affected product in the USA include 284,000 bears, with another 13,200 sold in Canada.  Produced in China, the bears in the USA and Canada were sold in Build-a-Bear retail and online (www.buildabear.com) stores between April and December 2011.

Consumers who identify that their bear is involved in the recall should stop using the bear immediately and return the product to their local Build-a-Bear Workshop location for an in-store exchange coupon.  The company can be contacted directly by phone at 866-236-5683, or on their website www.buildabear.com.

To see other Build-a-Bear recalls in 2011, see below.

Build-A-Bear Recalls Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears Due to Choking Hazard (December 23, 2011)

Build-A-Bear Recalls Teddy Bear Swimwear Set Due to Strangulation Hazard (November 16, 2011)

Build-A-Bear Workshop Recalls Lapel Pins Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard (August 4, 2011)