PRESS RELEASE
Department of Consumer Protection 165 Capitol Avenue Hartford, CT 06106 Media calls: 860-713-6022 www.ct.gov/dcp Jerry Farrell, Jr. Commissioner Date: November 1, 2007
Department of Consumer Protection Halts Sales of Hazardous Toys
HARTFORD, November 1 -- Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr. is alerting consumers today to nine toy products that pose choking, suffocation or lead poison hazards for children.
"Our product safety inspectors visited more than 300 stores this year to evaluate the toys and items for use by children. Unfortunately, as is the case each year, we‟re finding and removing a number of toys without appropriate safety warnings, toys with small parts that can choke, and lead that can poison,” Farrell said. The toys were found at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Dollar Tree, Happy Dollar, Toys Galore „n More, and Learning Express. More than 1,000 items have been taken off store shelves and embargoed in recent weeks. Pictures and descriptions of the toys are listed on the attached sheet. “These items are being removed from sale, and their distributors and manufacturers are being held accountable,” Farrell said. “But our national and state safety nets will never be 100% foolproof. Parents, friends, and family members need to be part of the equation that keeps unsafe toys out of children‟s hands.” “Hazards can exist in expensive toys as well as in lower-priced items,” Farrell said. “When buying toys and items for infants and children always be aware of potential hazards, and whenever in doubt, play it safe.” Common toy hazards include:
Tiny beads sewn on as eyes or a nose, because children love to pull beads off and put them in their ears, nose and mouth, leading to choking, suffocation, or infection. Puzzles and toys with small pieces, because small parts can easily lodge in a child‟s throat and cause choking. Items that are known to contain lead, but it‟s impossible by looking at a product to identify if lead is present.
“We frequently work with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station to test toy safety, particularly items that we suspect for lead content,” Farrell said. “Often, items that look quite suspicious are lead-free, while those that appear safe come back positive for lead. The federal government and manufacturers are looking at ways to eliminate lead hazards from the consumer marketplace, and I strongly support this effort. Home testing products are not reliable and we don‟t endorse their use. For the time being my advice is, when buying brightly colored toys for children, stick with major brands and stay alert to product recalls by visiting www.recalls.gov.”
-more-
Department of Consumer Protection / November 1, 2007 Unsafe Recalled Toys / page 2
Tips for buying toys: Consider the child‟s age, interests and skill level. Look for quality design and construction in all toys for all ages. Make sure that all directions or instructions are clear—to you, and when appropriate, to the child. Read labels. Look for and follow age recommendations, such as “Not recommended for children under three.” Look for other safety labels including: “Flame retardant/Flame resistant” on fabric products, and “Washable/hygienic materials” on stuffed toys and dolls.
Avoid toys with: sharp edges, or those made of materials that can break to expose sharp edges. parts small enough to be swallowed or to become lodged in a child‟s windpipe, ears or nose. sharp points, internal prongs or wires. toy caps and noisemaking guns that produce loud sounds. toys with long strings or cords that may cause strangulation. propelled objects that can be turned into weapons and injure eyes in particular. All 1,033 of the unsafe toys found by the Department of Consumer Protection are embargoed and recalled effective immediately. The Department is sending information on these products to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which may choose to issue a national recall. Photographs of the embargoed toys are attached and are available on the Department of Consumer Protection website at www.ct.gov/dcp. Persons with questions about the recall may call the Department at 1-800-842-2649.
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(3 pages of attachments)
Recalled Toys Detail
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection November 1, 2007
PRODUCT Pacifier - Carter's Keep Me Close #6939 Pacifier - Cutie Pie Pacifier & Holder #1373 Pacifier - Got Milk? #75110 Toy Car - Speed Racer #873820 Book & Toy Set Little Builder Board Book Set With Toys #15944/0407 Baby Toy - Baby Bead & Wire Toys #903419 Balloons Balloons on a Stick #A389008 Doll - Princess Doll #G16297 RETAIL STORES Burlington Coat Factory, 60 items at 9 locations Burlington Coat Factory, 177 items at 9 locations Burlington Coat Factory, 137 items at 9 locations Dollar Tree Stores, 230 items to date at 26 Locations Walmart, 50 items at 34 Locations MANUFACTURER / DISTRIBUTOR Prestige Toy Company 240 West 35th Street Fl 15 New York NY 10001 Cutie Pie Baby Inc 34 West 33rd St New York NY 10001 Cutie Pie Baby Inc 34 West 33rd St New York NY 10001 Greenbrier International Inc 500 Volvo Parkway Chesapeake VA 23320 Dalmation Press PO Box 682068 Franklin TN 37068 Greenbrier International Inc 500 Volvo Parkway Chesapeake VA 23320 Encore Sales 333 North Rivermede Rd Concord Ontario L4K 3N7 Canada Regent Products Corp 8999 Palmer Street River Grove IL 60171 Galt Toys 230 Woodmont Road Milford CT 06460 HAZARD Incorrect labeling - Missing the proper warning label. Incorrect labeling - Missing the proper warning label. Incorrect labeling - Missing the proper warning label. Lead levels in excess of .06%. Small part in one of the trucks sold with books intended for children under 3. (Choking hazard) Lead levels in excess of .06%. Incorrect labeling - Missing the proper warning label. The shoes which came with the doll are small parts and the doll is intended for children under 3. (Choking hazard) Lead levels in excess of .06%. CONSUMER REMEDY Use appropriately. Firm is relabeling current stock. Use appropriately. Firm is relabeling current stock. Use appropriately. Firm is relabeling current stock. Consumers should bring back to the store for a full refund. Consumers should bring back to the store for a full refund.
Dollar Tree Stores, 159 items at 26 Locations Happy Dollar 63 items at 5 Locations Happy Dollar 136 items at 5 Locations Learning Express in Westport & Darien, and Toys Galore 'n More in Kent 21 items in 3 locations
Consumers should bring back to the store for a full refund. Use appropriately. Firm is relabeling current stock. Consumers should bring back to the store for a full refund.
Wooden toy Mini Wooden Robot X-7
Consumers should bring back to the store for a full refund.
Recalled Toys Photos
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection November 1, 2007
Baby Bead & Wire Toys #903419 Sold at Dollar Tree, 26 locations
Wooden toy - Mini Wooden Robot X-7 Sold at Learning Express, Westport and Darien; and Toys Galore 'n More in Kent
Balloons on a Stick #A389008 Sold at Happy Dollar, 5 locations
Little Builder Board Book Set With Toys #15944/0407 Walmart, sold at 34 CT locations
Speed Racer #873820 Sold at Dollar Tree, 26 locations
Princess Doll #G16297 Sold at Happy Dollar, 5 locations
Princess Doll shoe fits is choking hazard.
Pacifier - Got Milk? #75110 Sold at Burlington Coat Factory, 9 CT locations
Cutie Pie Pacifier & Holder #1373 Sold at Burlington Coat Factory, 9 CT locations
Pacifier - Carter's Keep Me Close #6939 Sold at Burlington Coat Factory, 9 CT locations