Recalls

Child deaths spur recall of nearly all roman blinds and shades

Mitch Lipka Dec 15th 2009 @ 10:15AM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Shopping, Consumer Ally

In one of the largest recalls in history, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is calling for the repair of nearly every roman blind and shade amid growing concerns over child strangulation. Tens of millions of these blinds and shades have been sold -- an estimated 8 million each year.

The CPSC said it issued the recall after it tallied five deaths and 16 incidents of near strangulation as a result of cords wrapping around the necks of children. The blinds and shades were already being recalled by the million brand by brand. In fact, 5.5 million were flagged in August.

Continue reading Child deaths spur recall of nearly all roman blinds and shades

Sleeping like a baby? More than 9 million cribs, sleep products recalled in two years

Mitch Lipka Dec 10th 2009 @ 7:00AM EST Filed Under: Kids and Money, Recalls, Shopping, Consumer Ally

Nearly 9.5 million sleep products for infants and toddlers -- cribs, bassinets and play yards -- have been recalled in the past two years following 16 deaths and more than 2,200 incidents. Yet, many of the products that have proven fatal are still in use, putting children sleeping in them in extreme danger.

The child safety advocacy group, Kids in Danger, tallied the enormity of the recalls in a just-released report. Shortly after the report was released, yet another sleeping product was recalled -- the Amby Baby Motion Bed/Hammock -- following the deaths of two infants.

Nicola Johns knows just how important it is to get the word out about these unsafe baby products. One April night, she put her son, Liam (pictured), to bed in a crib made by Simplicity, a company that is responsible for many of the recalls that have occurred in recent years. Johns looked in on Liam in the morning and couldn't see him; he had become trapped between the mattress and rail when the rail pushed away.

"When I walked closer I could see he was hanging," Nicola Johns wrote in an account for Kids In Danger. "I lifted up his arms. He wasn't breathing."

Continue reading Sleeping like a baby? More than 9 million cribs, sleep products recalled in two years

Evenflo recalls ExerSaucers due to choking hazard

Mitch Lipka Dec 8th 2009 @ 6:00AM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Consumer Ally

The Evenflo ExerSaucer 1-2-3 Tea for Me is being recalled due to a part that can detach, putting toddlers at risk of choking.

About 66,000 of the activity centers are part of the recall, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The agency had no comment on the early release of the recall notice, which was sent to retailers.

The contraption involves placing a child who is not yet able to walk in a seat in the middle, which rotates, allowing the toddler to play with a variety of different toys around the ExerSaucer's rim.

The recall will only affect the 1-2-3 Tea for Me version, which include an eraser-like candle flame atop a toy cake that can be pulled off by a child and swallowed.

According to the recall notice sent to retailers, Evenflo received 11 complaints of the flame detaching from the Chinese-made product before proceeding with a recall in both the U.S. and Canada. The affected model numbers are 6161834 and 6161920.

The toys were sold at Toys R Us and other stores nationwide for about $70 between December 2007 and March 2009.

Those who have the ExerSaucer that is being recalled should immediately remove the cake toy and contact Evenflo at 1-800-233-5921 on Thursday or thereafter weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time to get a replacement toy.

Check the status of this and other Evenflo product safety campaigns by going to the company's product safety page here.

This post was updated on December 8, 2009 to reflect the recall.

What's a parent to do with Zhu Zhu Pets recall rumors?

Sarah Gilbert Dec 6th 2009 @ 10:56PM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Shopping, Black Friday

Zhu Zhu Pets have been this year's Beanie Babies: toys that are so ridiculous in concept, so cheap and simple in execution that you knew they were going to cause long lines and incredible prices on the Black Friday back-alley aftermarket. This year being as it was, retailers were accused of under-ordering the furry robotic hamsters to either reduce inventory expense and financial exposure to slack demand, or to artificially create a consumer frenzy, depending on how jaded the retail analyst. WalletPop interviews with buyers and analysts tended to agree that the Chinese-manufactured toy was simply a surprise hit, and demand was high for no other reason than lots of kids wanted them under their trees.

Continue reading What's a parent to do with Zhu Zhu Pets recall rumors?

CPSC announces it is looking into safety of Zhu Zhu Pets as recall rumors abound

Mitch Lipka Dec 6th 2009 @ 9:04PM EST Filed Under: Kids and Money, Recalls, Black Friday, Consumer Ally, Cyber Monday

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating the safety of the toy hit of the season, the robotic hamsters known as Zhu Zhu Pets, making a rare acknowledgment of an ongoing investigation as the Web lit up with searches for Zhu Zhu pet recall and Zhu Zhu pet unsafe.

"CPSC is looking into the Zhu Zhu pet toy and we will complete our review swiftly," CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said in an email to WalletPop.

The buzz grew following a report by environmental health group GoodGuide saying it found higher-than-acceptable levels of tin and antimony in Mr. Squiggles, a popular Zhu Zhu pet.

UPDATE (12/7): GoodGuide issued an apology today for using a different testing methodology than does the government -- thereby making the comparison of what it found to the federal standard inaccurate. "...While we accurately reported the chemical levels in the toys that we measured using our testing method, we should not have compared our results to federal standards,"
the group said in a written statement. "We regret this error. "

Based on that and independent lab tests reviewed by the CPSC, Mr. Squiggles has been cleared.

Wolfson said the CPSC is committed to new, tougher standards for toy safety mandated by the Consumer Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The heavy metal antimony, once governed only by a voluntary industry standard, was included in the CPSIA and is now regulated by the CPSC.

"CPSC is working especially hard this time of year to ensure that toys are safe for all children, he said. The agency is proactively evaluating certain toys and we are working with consumer groups to test toys they have been brought to our attention. Parents should know that there is a new child safety law that went into place this year that: 1) lowers lead in toys to some of the lowest levels in the world, 2) bans certain phthalates from toys, and 3) puts federal limits on heavy metals like antinomy from being in surface coatings on toys. "

The company that sells Zhu Zhu Pets that makes the impossible-to-find holiday toy says the toys are safe (see their press release).

"We are disputing the findings of GoodGuide and we are 100% confident that Mr. Squiggles, and all other Zhu Zhu Toys, are safe and compliant with all U.S. and European standards for consumer health and safety in toys," Russ Hornsby, CEO of Cepia LLC., said in a written statement. "All our products are subjected to several levels of rigorous safety testing conducted by our own internal teams, as well as the world's leading independent quality assurance testing organization, and also by independent labs engaged by our retail partners. The results of every test prove that our products are in compliance with all government and industry safety standards."

As we know from WalletPop's own experience with alerting authorities about defective products -- when our Consumer Ally discovered that Target Halloween flashlights could catch fire -- it can take weeks before an official recall takes place, and that was with Target's cooperation.

If there was a recall, the dynamics would be unlike any other in recent memory -- since thousands of people paid far beyond retail price from third party sellers on eBay and Amazon.com. And now parents are left wondering whether to take this seriously and continue on their now easier quest to get these varmints (they've been showing up in increasing...

Continue reading CPSC announces it is looking into safety of Zhu Zhu Pets as recall rumors abound

Slim-Fast recall: Cans tainted by dangerous bacteria

Mitch Lipka Dec 4th 2009 @ 5:45PM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Health, Consumer Ally

Every can of the diet aid Slim-Fast sold in the United States is being recalled after dangerous bacteria was discovered by the manufacturer during a routine inspection, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced. A recall of the diet drinks is also being instituted in Canada.

Consumer products giant Unilever United States, Inc., which owns the Slim-Fast brand, said an unknown portion of an estimated 10 million ready-to-drink cans are tainted with Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism that can cause diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting. The company said it's recalling every can of Slim-Fast drinks, spanning some 50 varieties, as a precaution and urges consumers to discard them. Other Slim-Fast products -- such as meal replacement bars and powdered drink mixes -- are not included in the recall.

Continue reading Slim-Fast recall: Cans tainted by dangerous bacteria

10 million cans of Slim-Fast recalled

Zac Bissonnette Dec 4th 2009 @ 2:45PM EST Filed Under: Food, Recalls

Unilever announced today a massive recall of Slim-Fast diet drinks, citing concerns about the presence of Bacillus cereus, a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Wait: Hasn't all Slim-Fast always caused diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting?

Important: The recall affects all Slim-Fast cans, regardless of flavor, best-by dates, lot code or UPC number.

Slim-Fast powdered products and bars are not effected.

According to the FDA press release, "The probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. ... Out of an abundance of caution, the company is recalling all RTD products in cans that are currently in distribution centers, on-shelf or in back rooms in retail outlets or in consumers' homes."

Unilever is urging consumers to discard any Slim-Fast cans immediately and call 1-800-896-9479 for a full refund.

Melissa and Doug toys recalled in Canada for excessive amounts of barium

Mitch Lipka Dec 2nd 2009 @ 4:45PM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Consumer Ally

Three different types of wooden toys made by Connecticut-based Melissa & Doug have been recalled in Canada after Canadian officials said they tested them and found excessive levels of barium in the paint.

Health Canada, the government organization that's responsible for consumer health and safety issues, recently announced the recalls of the following products:

Slice and Bake Cookie Set
Shape Sorting Cube
Pound-a-Peg

"Some forms of barium are safely used in medical and commercial applications, while other forms of barium can be toxic, causing adverse health effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps as well as more severe symptoms," Health Canada said in its announcement. "Children's toys coated with paint containing barium in excess of the allowable limit are strictly prohibited in Canada."

Continue reading Melissa and Doug toys recalled in Canada for excessive amounts of barium

Carbon monoxide leak prompts recall of high-end ranges

Mitch Lipka Nov 25th 2009 @ 11:30AM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Consumer Ally

Bad news for people hoping to use their pricey, recently purchased ranges to roast turkeys or bake pies for Thanksgiving. High-end ranges sold under the Kenmore and Electrolux brands are being recalled after they were found to leak carbon monoxide gas when the oven is in use.

The Electrolux Icon and Kenmore Pro 30-inch gas ranges made in Canada by Electrolux Home Products have a part that allows delivery of more fuel than the oven burners can handle, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The result of the incomplete combustion is the release of carbon monoxide.

Electrolux told the CPSC that about 900 of the ranges have the problem. They were sold from August 2008 through October 2009 for $2,500 to $3,500.

The company said it had received four reports of carbon monoxide leaks.

According to the CPSC, those who have the ranges can continue to use the stove and broiler, but should not use the oven.

The free-standing ranges being recalled are limited to the Electrolux Icon model E30GF74HPS and
Kenmore Pro 30" Gas Range models 790.76913800 and 790.76913801 with following number range: NF83000000 - NF93633000.

Consumers can find the Electrolux model and serial number in the back of the range. The Kenmore model and serial number can be found near the range's base beneath the bottom right part of the oven door -- as well as in the rear.

For more information, those with the Electrolux range should call Electrolux weekdays between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET at (888) 360-8557 and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., or visit the Web site set up for the recall. Those who have the Kenmore model should cal Sears at (800) 733-2299 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.

More than 2 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs recalled

Julie Tilsner Nov 23rd 2009 @ 8:01PM EST Filed Under: Recalls

More than 2.1 million drop-side cribs are being voluntarily recalled by their manufacturer, Stork Craft Manufacturing, Inc., after four incidents in which infants were trapped and suffocated, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recall includes about 147,000 cribs with the popular Fisher-Price logo.

The recall is the largest involving cribs by the CPSC.

Although Stork Craft is based in British Columbia, the cribs were manufactured in China and Indonesia, as well as in Canada. They have been sold since 1993 under a variety of brand names, including Fisher-Price, at outlets including Wal-Mart Stores, Kmart and Sears, inc.

Drop-side cribs are popular with parents because the mechanism makes it easier to lift baby out of the crib without having to hunch over the sides.

According to its press release, CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit. They should find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free repair kit that converts the drop-side on these cribs to a fixed side.

The recall does not include cribs that are not drop-sided, according to the CPSC.

For additional information, contact Stork Craft toll-free at (877) 274-0277 at any time to order the free repair kit, or log on to www.storkcraft.com.

Lowe's grills catch fire in the wrong places; 663,000 recalled

Mitch Lipka Nov 18th 2009 @ 6:05PM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Consumer Ally

Lowe's recalled 663,000 Perfect Flame SLG Series gas grills after nearly two dozen people reported injuries due to deteriorating burners, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. In some cases, the lids caught on fire.

Using these Chinese-made grills, imported by L G Sourcing, could put consumers at risk of being burned and should not be used until they are repaired, the CPSC said.

Continue reading Lowe's grills catch fire in the wrong places; 663,000 recalled

Group finds lead in Barbie, Disney toys; focus is still on China

Mitch Lipka Nov 18th 2009 @ 11:15AM EST Filed Under: Recalls, Shopping, Consumer Ally

A California environmental health advocacy group commissioned testing on some 250 toys and found high lead levels in seven of them, including Barbie and Disney-branded products.

While the percentage that failed was low, the findings released by the Center for Environmental Health were disturbing nonetheless for just how high the levels were -- in some toys they were dozens of times above the legal limit.

Continue reading Group finds lead in Barbie, Disney toys; focus is still on China

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