Lead Violations on Two Playsets Force Health Canada Recall

A duo of products produced my Chinese manufacturer Ningbo Ftz Zhenbao International Trading Company are being recalled through a Health Canada Product Safety Alert.  During routine sapling and testing, Health Canada discovered that the surface coatings on these sets contain levels of lead above the allowable limits.

Lead is extremely toxic to young children if the lead paint is chewed, sucked, or ingested.  Exposure to high levels of lead can results in short-term illness including vomiting and diarrhea, as well as long-term condition such as serious brain injury, convulsions, coma, anemia, as well as damage to liver, kidneys, heart and the immune system. Serious cases of lead poisoning can lead to death.

The first product is The Pizza Playset, a set of plastic pizza slices, plastic kitchen tools and condiments.  The UPC barcode printed on the packaging is 094922130778.

The second product is The Fishing Game, a playset including one fishing pole and five plastic fish.  The UPC barcode printed on the packaging is 094922553980.

Consumers who have purchased either of these playsets are advised to stop using them immediately and discard them so they are inaccessible to children.

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. 

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.

Build-a-Bear swim accessory presents strangulation hazard

We have often discussed foreseeable use on this blog site.  A child’s play patterns are actually quite predictable most of the time.  At different points in their cognitive and physical development, youngsters are likely to use their toys in a completely different manner than that for which the toy was designed.

This is not product misuse - it is developmental play.  A plastic bucket becomes a hat, a broom becomes a horse, and an inner tube becomes a sun visor or necklace. Smart consumers of children’s product are aware that any product they plan to purchase for their child should be weighed against the child’s current and future play patterns. 

Last week (11/16/11), Build-A-Bear Workshop® announced a recall of 20,820 Fruit Tutu Teddy Bear Swimwear Sets with Inflatable Inner Tube. The majority of those sets were sold in the USA, but 1,100 sets were sold in Canada as well.  Sales in Build-a-Bear Retail stores and online website from April through August 2011 are involved in this safety alert.

The problem:  The inner tube can be pulled over a child’s head, but it is then very difficult to remove.  This causes panic in the young child, as well as the potential of a strangulation hazard.  One incident has been reported, with no injuries.

The inflatable inner tube in this set, covered in a pink and yellow floral print, is 9” in diameter and has the model number 017220 printed on a sticker found on the retail hang tag.

To prevent this potential safety hazard from occurring, consumers are being asked to return the inner tube portion only to their local Build-a Bear store for a $5 in-store coupon.   If a store is not conveniently located, call Build-a-Bear at 1-866-236-5683, or visit their website at www.buildabear.com.

  

Health Canada Recall here.    

CPSC recall here.