1 million baby seats recalled
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — About 1 million foam baby seats sold by Target (TGT), Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) and other large retailers are being recalled because of reports of young children falling out of the seats, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Thursday.
The safety agency said it received 28 reports of young children falling out of the seats, including three who suffered skull fractures because the seats had been placed atop tables.
The baby seats, made by Bumbo International of South Africa, sold for about $40 each from August 2003 through October 2007. Retailers that sold the product also included Sears Holdings (SHLD), Kmart, Toys R Us and USA Babies, it said.
The round Bumbo Baby Sitter Seats are 15 inches in diameter and made of molded polyurethane foam that wraps around a child.
Consumers should contact Bumbo to obtain new warning label stickers and instructions for the recalled baby seats and should never use the infant seat on a table, countertop, chair or other elevated surface, the agency said.
On its website, Bumbo said it temporarily stopped selling the baby seat until safety packaging can be updated. "The Bumbo Baby Seat is safe when used properly, but we have voluntarily agreed to update the packaging to ensure there is no confusion about the safe, proper use of the Bumbo Baby Seat," the company said.
The baby seat is designed for infants who are six weeks old or able to support their own heads, up to an age of about 12 to 14 months or about 22 pounds, Bumbo said.
Separately on Thursday, more products made in China ranging from children's jewelry to cake decorations were recalled because they contain excessive amounts of lead.
The recall of roughly 665,000 items announced by the CPSC includes about 38,000 Go Diego Go Animal Rescue Boats from Mattel's (MAT) Fisher-Price division.
The boats were sold at retail stores nationwide from June through October, and the CPSC said the surface paint contains excessive levels of lead.
Also recalled were about 142,000 Halloween pails sold at Family Dollar Stores from August through October. The CPSC said green paint on the pails contains amounts of lead that violate U.S. standards for lead paint.
More than 20 million toys made in China were recalled worldwide over the past four months due to potentially dangerous levels of lead and hazards posed by small magnets that can be swallowed.
Retailers and manufactures have stepped up product testing, which some companies have said should result in more recalls as they try to clear problematic items off shelves and out of warehouses.
Dollar Tree Stores Inc is recalling about 198,000 units of Beary Cute, Expressions, and Sassy & Chic children's jewelry with item numbers 855589, 873091, 873097, and 903950.
The jewelry, which the CPSC said contains high levels of lead, was sold at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks and Only $1 stores from December 2005 through July.
High levels of lead have been linked to brain damage in children and other health problems.
Here is a list of other product recalls announced on Thursday by the CPSC:
— DecoPac is recalling about 80,000 plastic miniature football bobble heads with green bases that were sold to be placed on cakes because of too much lead in paint on the decoration. The items were sold at bakeries and ice cream stores from January 2006 through October.
— Jo-Ann Stores is expanding the recall of children's toy garden tools because of excessive lead in surface paint. The products were sold at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores from January through September.
— WeGlow International is recalling about 110,000 children's flashing rings sold in Shrek the Third and Spider-Man 3 designs. The rings have item number 920422 printed on back of the packaging and were sold at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks and Only $1 stores nationwide from December 2005 through August.
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Print | posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007 6:32 PM