Following the entrapment of four children and injury to two others, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Jardine Enterprises of Taipei, Taiwan, has announced a voluntary recall of approximately 320,000 defective Jardine Cribs. The wooden slats and spindles on the crib can break, which creates a gap, which can then pose an entrapment and strangulation hazard to infants. There have been 42 incidents of crib slats and spindles breaking.

According to the CPSC, the cribs were manufactured in China and Vietnam and sold at KidsWorld, Geoffrey Stores, Toys “R” Us, and Babies “R” Us stores nationwide, and at babiesrus.com, from January 2002 through May 2008 for between $150 and $300. The Mahogany Positano Lifetime Crib, model 0309K00, sold for $450. The item’s model number is printed on the inside of the bottom rail of the headboard or footboard. (more…)

ATV (all terrain vehicles) accidents killed at least 500 people in 2006, and sent another 146,600 to hospital emergency room.  As the vehicles grow  in popularity, the number of ATV deaths and injuries is expected  to rise as well.

That prospect has officials in Kentucky concerned, as the state already led the nation in ATV deaths in 2007.  Over the Memorial Day weekend, the state recorded four more ATV deaths.  That caught the attention of a doctor at the University of Kentucky hospital, who has launched a research study aimed at finding the reasons behind ATV accidents. (more…)

In a second such move, Wal-Mart—in cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)—is recalling nearly 40,000 “Hip Charm” Key Chains due to high lead content.  Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Hip Charm Key Chains, especially keeping the lead-tainted charms away from children and pregnant women.

According to the CPSC, approximately 39,000 Hip Charm Key Chains are being recalled in addition to the 12,000 key chains recalled in the April announcement.  In both cases, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas is the distributor of the Hip Charm Key Chains and FGX International Inc., of Smithfield, Rhode Island is the importer; the key chains were manufactured in China.  The Hip Charm Key Chains in this week’s recall sold in Wal-Mart stores nationwide from April 2005 through June 2008 and retailed for between $.50 and $6.00. (more…)

In recent months, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has been harshly criticized for not acting quickly enough to eliminate hazardous products from store shelves and for being influenced by the companies it regulates.  Now, the CPSC would receive a $20 million funding increase next year for oversight of domestic and imported goods under a bill that moved this week in the House of Representatives.  The proposed legislation would increase CPSC funding to $100 million in fiscal year 2009—effective October 1—from the current $80 million funding level.  Although President George W. Bush was not seeking an increase, there has been a push by lawmakers who have long condemned the CPSC for lax enforcement.

Last year, millions of toys were recalled in 61 such recalls, up over 20 from the prior year.  Of those, over six million toys were recalled due to lead; the highest number ever due to product defects.  Also, other potentially dangerous toys remained in stores and were sold without warning labels of possible choking hazards several times last year.  Congress took notice following dozens of recalls by Mattel Inc., RC2 Corporation, and other toy companies over excessive lead content in products, many imported from China. (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…)

In a third such recall, Bassettbaby of Basset, Virginia is recalling 550 Wendy Bellissimo Hidden Hills Collection Cribs.  The pose to an entrapment hazard because the space between the spindles on some cribs fails to meet federal standards.  The recalled Bassettbaby Cribs were sold at Babies “R” Us stores nationwide from November 2007 through February 2008, retailed for about $500, and were manufactured in China.  The Bassettbaby Cribs are full-size cribs from the Wendy Bellissimo Hidden Hills collection.  The model number—located on the bottom headboard rail—is 5446-0521.  The recalled crib was sold in a Navajo Pine finish.

Consumers are warned to stop using the crib immediately and contact Bassettbaby to schedule an in-home inspection.  Recalled cribs will be replaced.  Bassettbaby can be reached at (866) 618-5446 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Sunday or via the firm’s Website at www.bassettbaby.com. (more…)

Polaris is expanding an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) recall for a fourth time because a defective part may overheat and cause a fire. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), Polaris has received six more reports of the part - called an Electronic Control Modules (ECM) - malfunctioning. Two of those malfunctions resulted in fires.

The original Polaris ATV recall was announced in May 2005. At that time, Polaris recalled more than 14,000 ATVs with defective ECMs. The recall involved Polaris 2004.5 ‘Sportsman 500,’ 2005 ‘Sportsman 400,’ ‘Sportsman 500,’ ‘Sportsman 600,’ ‘Sportsman 700,’ and 2005 ‘Scrambler 500′ ATVs. The recall was prompted by 26 reports of the ECM overheating. (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…)