[Recalls Page]

March 2006 Recalls and Product Safety News

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to check their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms when changing their clocks this Sunday, April 2nd. CPSC advises consumers to replace the batteries in smoke and CO alarms to ensure they are protected.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Rose Art Industries Inc., of Livingston, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 3.8 million Magnetix Magnetic Building Sets. Tiny magnets inside the plastic building pieces and rods can fall out. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract to each other and cause intestinal perforation or blockage, which can be fatal. This product is unsuitable for young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kids Preferred LLC, of Dayton, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 3,500 Primary Sounds Toy Vehicles. The hubcaps on the toy's plastic wheels can detach posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Golden Star Group, of Walnut, Calif. and Speedway SuperAmerica LLC, of Enon, Ohio, are voluntarily recalling about 500,000 "Speedway" Cigarette Lighters. The flame can flare up or the lighter can catch fire when ignited, posing risks of unexpected fires and burn injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Eugster/Frismag AG, of Switzerland and Jura-Capresso LLC, of Closter, N.J., are voluntarily recalling about 6,600 Jura Impressa Automatic Coffee Center Espresso Machines. The electrical connectors in the espresso machine can erode, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American Girl Inc., of Middleton, Wis., a division of Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 180,000 pieces of American Girl Children's Jewelry. The recalled jewelry contains high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Nautilus Inc., of Vancouver, Wash., is voluntarily recalling about 17,000 Bowflex Ultimate 2 Home Gyms. One end of the leg extension cable can release from the guide pulley and swing around, potentially striking the user or a bystander.

CPSC Releases New "Which Helmet for Which Activity" Guide. Spring is here and millions of Americans are heading outdoors to take part in their favorite sports activities. But gearing up for fun also means wearing the right gear. For CPSC, that means wearing a helmet each time you jump on a bike or skateboard, or put on your in-line skates.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Signal Catalogue Corp., of Hudson, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 1,200 Underground Neon Signs. The AC adaptor used with these signs can overheat, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Creative Innovations & Sourcing LLC, of Pittsfield, Mass. and QVC Inc., of West Chester, Pa. are voluntarily recalling about 8,000 Thunder Spin R.C. Road Rage Stunt Machine Toy Trucks. Electrical circuits within the truck can overheat causing the toy to overheat, posing a risk of fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), RadioShack Corp., of Fort Worth, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 25,000 Child Guidance Toy Pliers. The toy's sliding yellow knob can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Electro Source LLC, of Vernon, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 231,000 Pelican Power Brick Battery Chargers. The battery charger's circuit board can overheat and cause its plastic cover to melt which poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Reebok International Ltd., of Canton, Mass., is voluntarily recalling about 300,000 Reebok Heart-Shaped Charm Bracelets. The recalled jewelry contains high levels of lead, posing a risk of lead poisoning and adverse health effects to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Dollar Tree Distribution Inc., of Chesapeake, Va., is voluntarily recalling about 580,000 Dollar Tree Mood Necklace and Ring, Glow-in-the Dark Necklace and Ring, and UV Necklace and Rings. The recalled jewelry contains high levels of lead, posing a serious risk of lead poisoning and adverse health effects to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Oriental Trading Company Inc., of Omaha, Neb., is voluntarily recalling about 25,000 Beaded Photo Charm Bracelets. The recalled metal charm bracelets contain high levels of accessible lead, posing a serious risk of lead poisoning to young children. Lead poisoning in children is associated with behavioral problems, learning disabilities, hearing problems and growth retardation.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark., is voluntarily recalling about 643,000 Mainstays Love Seat Rocker and Porch Rocker rocking chairs. Poor construction and over-curvature of the chair's runners can cause instability, imbalance, fracturing of the wood, and tip-over during use. This poses a fall hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Valsi Power Equipment Inc., of San Diego, Calif. and Corporativo Valsi S.A de C.V, Guadalajara, Mexico are voluntarily recalling about 900 Valsi Single Phase Portable Generators. The fuel tanks can crack and leak fuel, posing a risk of fires and burn injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Inverness Medical Nutritionals Group, of Freehold, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 64,000 bottles of Walgreens High Potency Iron Supplement. The iron supplements are not in child-resistant packaging as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. Ingesting multiple iron supplements at once can cause serious injury or death to young children.

For the past 45 years, National Poison Prevention Week has worked to educate and inform consumers of the dangers of unintentional poisonings. These efforts have contributed to a significant decline in injuries and deaths.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Philips Consumer Electronics North America, of Atlanta, Ga., is voluntarily recalling about 11,800 Plasma Flat Panel Televisions with Ambilight Feature. Arcing by capacitors inside the left and right side of the back cabinets of these TVs can pose a safety risk.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Emess Design Group LLC, of Ellwood City, Pa., is voluntarily recalling about 21,300 Coca-Cola ElectroPlasma Lamps. There is a burn hazard caused by an electric arc between the metal bottle cap and a human contact point. An electric burn is possible if the distance between the metal cap and the contact point is sustained at about 1/8-inch away from the metal cap.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Jordache Ltd., of New York, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 30,000 "U.S. Polo Association" Youth Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings. The garments have a drawstring through the hood, posing a strangulation hazard to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), PlayPower LT Farmington Inc., of Farmington, Mo. (formerly Little Tikes Commercial Play Systems Inc.), is voluntarily recalling about 3,600 "Max Play" Single Post and "Kid Builders Arch" Swing Sets. The connection between the swing set's horizontal top beam and the vertical end support post can break, posing a risk of injury if the user falls to the ground or is hit by the beam.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Olympus America Inc., of Melville, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 1.2 million Olympus-Brand 35mm Film Cameras in the U.S. A defect with the flash circuit in these cameras can cause it to smoke and overheat when the camera is turned on. This poses a possible burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Current USA Inc., of Vista, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 1,000 AquaPod 12-Gallon Aquariums. These aquariums have three power cords, two for the aquarium lamps and one for the air pump. When only one of the two lamp cords is plugged in, the unplugged lamp cord can become energized, posing an electrical shock hazard to consumers.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Acuity Brands Inc., of Atlanta, Ga., has agreed to pay a $700,000 civil penalty. The penalty, which has been provisionally accepted by the Commission, settles allegations that the company failed to report to CPSC in a timely manner about defects and hazards in more than 1.4 million of its Lithonia Lighting products.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American Suzuki Motor Corp., of Brea, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 1,900 Suzuki 2005 Model Year Eiger ATVs. Certain 2005 Eiger model year ATVs were assembled with an improperly manufactured plastic fuel tank. The thin portion of these tanks could develop a fuel leak, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American Tack & Hardware Co. Inc. (AmerTac), of Saddle River, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 35,000 "Forever-Glo Nite Lites™". An electrical short circuit in the nite lite can cause it to overheat and smolder or melt which can burn consumers or result in a fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), BRIO® Corp. of Germantown, Wis., a subsidiary of BRIO AB, of Sweden, is voluntarily recalling about 2,100 BRIO Pull-along Snails. The snail toy is sold with a rattle containing a bell. The rattle can come apart, and the bell poses a small parts choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Performance Inc., of Chapel Hill, N.C., is voluntarily recalling about 10,200 2006 Performance Travel Trac Trainers. The base of the trainer has a blocking mechanism that can break causing the bicycle to disengage from the stand, posing a fall hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Eugster/Frismag, of Switzerland and Capresso Inc., of Closter, N.J., are voluntarily recalling about 28,000 C1000 Capresso Automatic Coffee Centers. The electrical connectors in the espresso machine can erode, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Nashbar Direct, of Canfield, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 2,500 2006 Nashbar Bicycle Trainers. The base of the trainer has a blocking mechanism that can break causing the bicycle to disengage from the stand, posing a fall hazard.

A Pennsylvania fireworks chemical supplier was sentenced to federal prison today for violating a consent decree by selling illegal and highly dangerous fireworks components.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Decathlon USA, of Wilmington, Mass. , is voluntarily recalling about 230 Quechua "Rn'x7FX" snowboard bindings. The snowboard binding's plastic base can break during use, posing a risk that snowboarders can fall and suffer a serious injury.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), MTC – Man's Trading Company, of Brisbane, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 144,500 sets of "Girl Favors" Children's Toy Jewelry. The recalled jewelry could break, releasing small beads that pose an aspiration hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Sunright International, of Norcross, Ga. and Manco Power Sports Inc. of Fort Wayne, Ind., are voluntarily recalling about 3,200 Manco Blazer Fun-Karts and Sunright International Go-Karts. The throttle that controls the go-kart engine can fail and not return the vehicle to idle speed, posing a loss of control hazard to the driver.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Big Lots Stores Inc., of Columbus, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 233,000 sets of Harvest Brand Tea Light Candles. The recalled candles can burn with a high flame and melt the plastic holders. This poses a fire and a burn hazard to consumerss.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Little Tikes Co., of Hudson, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling about 20,800 Glowin' Dino and Glowin' Doggy Animal Flashlights. The light green paint on the dinosaur-shaped flashlight and the brown paint on the dog-shaped flashlight could contain excess levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), SSC Inc., of Fairfield, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 4,000 Safe-Seat Plus Model Infant Seats for Shopping Carts. These seats can have a white chalky powder or residue on their surface. It is the UV Absorber that has separated from the seat due to a molding defect that affected some seats produced in one or more molding runs. This could cause skin irritation to children who come into contact with the residue.