Hobbico Inc. of Champaign, Illinois is recalling batteries used in 11,000 radio-controlled helicopter kits due to fire hazard.  The helicopter’s rechargeable battery can overheat and catch fire while charging, igniting nearby combustible materials. This poses a fire hazard to consumers and Hobbico has received 28 reports of batteries overheating and/or melting, including 27 reports of flames and minor property damage.  Although no injuries have been reported, thus far, this is not the first time such a product has been recalled for fire hazard issues.  The product was manufactured in China.

The recall involves the Electrifly lithium-polymer batteries (part #GPMP0401) sold individually or with the Heli-Max Axe CP-L radio-controlled helicopter kits, which includes a 23-inch long plastic helicopter; a battery; a radio transmitter; a balance charger’ a car adapter; an AC wall adapter; decals that read “HMX,” “AXE,” and “Heli-Max”; and training gear.  “Electrifly” and “GPMP0401” are printed on the battery.  The batteries were sold at Hobby Stores nationwide and online from November 2007 through March 2008 for about $35; helicopter kits were sold for $200. (more…)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with the firms named below, today announced a variety of children’s product recalls due to high lead contents and concerns over adverse health effects.  All of the items were manufactured in China.

Children’s Charm Craft Kits:  Approximately 18,500 kits imported by Action Products International Inc., of Ocala, Florida have been recalled as the clasp contains high lead levels.  The recall involves “Super Dooper Charms” (item #63403) and “Shoelace Charms” (item #67310) and the kits contain components such as charms, beads, wire, and clasps that are used to create necklaces, jewelry accessories, or charms that can be hooked on shoelaces, backpacks, or used as zipper pulls. The item number can be found on the back of the package.  The Children’s Charm Craft Kits were sold by a variety of retailers nationwide July 2007-April 2008 and retailed for about $17 for the “Super Dooper Charms” kit and $6 for the “Shoelace Charms” kit.  Consumers should immediately take the recalled product away from children and contact Action Products International for instructions on returning it for a free replacement at (800) 772-2846 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or at www.apii.com. (more…)

The U.S. Consumer Produces Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued two recalls of defective children’s products.  The Children’s Place is recalling Camouflage Pajama Sets due to excessive lead and MindWare is recalling its Children’s Animal Tracking Explorer Kit because the kit contains a chemical that irritates the skin and eyes.

Approximately 28,000 Camouflage Pajama Sets, which were manufactured in Vietnam for The Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc., of Secaucus, New Jersey have been recalled because the screen print on the shirt contains excessive levels of lead.  This recall involves long- and short-sleeved pajama sets, which have a blue shirt with a red screen print that reads “Athletics 90.”  The pajama sets include coordinating camouflage pants. The Children’s Place Camouflage Pajama Sets were sold in boys’ sizes XXS (2/3) to XL (14) exclusively at: The Children’s Place stores nationwide and online at www.childrensplace.com from December 2006 to January 2008 and retailed for between $15 and $17. (more…)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (UPSC), in cooperation with QuinCrafts of Dexter, Michigan, today announced a voluntary recall of the Makit & Bakit Jewelry Sets and Suncatcher sets as the clasps on some of the jewelry contains high levels of lead.

About 70,000 of the Makit & Bakit Jewelry Sets and Suncatcher sets are being recalled and included those QuinCrafts products containing children’s jewelry.  The recall includes the following items.  Item numbers can be found printed on the back of the packaging: (more…)

Little Tikes Toy Cell Phones have been recalled because they may pose a choking hazard to small children.  Kids Station Toys, the maker of the recalled Little Tikes Toy Cell Phones, says it has received one report of a child who started to choke on a small piece that came apart from the toy.

The recall involves about 1 million Little Tikes Chit ‘N Chat Toy Cell Phones.  The toys were sold at department, juvenile product, and drug stores nationwide from June 2006 through March 2008 for about $8 (individually) or about $20 (set).  (more…)

Reports of children becoming unconscious after swallowing Aqua Dots beads resulted in a recall in November and a seizure of merchandise in December.  At the time, it was widely reported that the potentially toxic chemical 1,4-butanediol—BD—was used in place of the benign, nontoxic, yet more expensive 1,5-pentanediol—PD—in the manufacture of the beads.  A new study, led by Dr. Jeffrey Suchard of the University of California, Irvine confirms these reports and that Aqua Dots contained no 1,5-PD at all, but instead contained a very high level—nearly 14 percent—of extractable 1,4-BD.

Thousands of cartons of the dangerous Aqua Dots toy were recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and seized at the port of Savannah last December following the November recall.  The cartons were bound for American shores from China and represented about $2 million dollars worth of the poisonous toys.  When mixed with water, the toys formed GHB, the date rape drug, a banned and hazardous substance. (more…)

Nancy Nord, head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), said a new federal standard limiting lead in toys and other children’s products “might prove to be overly broad.” Nord, an appointee of President Bush and former lobbyist for corporate interests, has long been criticized for seeming to be disinterested in ensuring the CPSC fulfills its mission of protecting the public.

The limit on lead is part of a product safety bill currently under Congressional consideration and would require the CPSC to set a standard limiting lead in children’s products to trace amounts of 100 parts per million for the content and 90 parts per million for paint or coatings. (more…)

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization—a California asbestos victims advocacy group—filed a lawsuit Friday against CBS Corporation, a toy maker, and several retailers over the sale of a crime scene toy based on the CBS series “CSI:  Crime Scene Investigation.”  The group said laboratory tests confirmed the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit contained asbestos in a powder used for fingerprint dusting.  Planet Toys, Inc., manufacturer of the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit, removed the  dangerous toys from the market late last year; however, it maintains that multiple tests did not reveal asbestos.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, said tests showed the kits’ fingerprint powder contained “substantial quantities of tremolite asbestos,” which it described as “one of the most lethal forms of asbestos.”  On its Web site, Planet Toys indicated it issued a “stop sale” on all “’CSI Fingerprint Kits’ until further information can be ascertained as to the discrepancy between our respective test findings.”  The asbestos group wants to stop sales of the kits unless they carry a hazardous material warning and is seeking full refund for return of the kits. (more…)

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with two toy firms announced voluntary recalls of two children’s toys due to excessive lead paint levels.  Consumers should stop using these recalled products immediately, ensuring they are taken away from children.

The first product, Hillbilly Teeth, was imported by FUNTASTIC, of Houston, Texas and is being recalled because the gray surface paint on the teeth contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.  Approximately 26,000 of the FUNTASTIC Hillbilly Teeth toys were sold in two-pack packages with item # 2657 printed on the packaging.  The toy’s gums are brown and the teeth are yellow.  The FUNTASTIC Hillbilly Teeth were manufactured in China and sold at grocery, drug, convenience, and mass retailers nationwide from March 2005 through March 2008 for about $2.  Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy away from children and contact FUNTASTIC for information on receiving a refund at (800) 434-5207 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday or visit the company’s Web site at www.funtastictoy.com (more…)

Toy robots sold at dollar stores nationwide are being recalled by OKK Trading Inc. of Commerce, Calif. because surface paint on the toys violates federal lead standards.  According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), about 2000 of the lead tainted robots are involved in this recall.

Many consider lead poisoning to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today.  Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems.  Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system.  Despite efforts to control lead and the success in decreasing lead poisoning, serious cases still occur.  Once poisoned, no organ system is immune.  Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond. (more…)