Recalls of unsafe products continue to escalate

Last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a record 473 recalls as the marketplace was besieged by unsafe toys and other products.  This year isn’t looking any better.  In fact, for the first half of its 2008 fiscal year, the CPSC announced 307 recalls. At the current rate, we project that by year end the number of CPSC recalls could exceed 800.

The CPSC has held up the high number of recalls as a sign that they are doing their job.  To some extent that’s true; part of their job is to get unsafe products out of the marketplace.  Most retailers are quick to comply with a recall by removing unsafe products from their shelves and/or by blocking the sale of recalled products at their cash registers.

But the CPSC’s job is also to protect consumers from the unsafe products that have already made their way into our homes.  In that regard, CPSC recalls have been highly ineffective.  Mattel, which recalled more than 20 million toys last year, acknowledged that since the mid-1990’s the return rate for toys recalled by the company has been less than 10 percent, on average.  That means that more than 90 percent of the unsafe toys remain in our homes or have since been discarded.  In many cases, news of recalls never reaches consumers, and even when it does consumers may stop paying attention when recalls are announced at a rate of more than one a day.

We need stronger measures to protect consumers from unsafe products.  Manufacturers, distributors and retailers should be doing more to prevent unsafe products from reaching the market in the first place rather than relying on recalls to pull them back once they are already there.  Stronger laws can help.  Legislation recently passed in the House and Senate promises to help revitalize the CPSC, giving it more funding, more staff and more authority to protect the public from unsafe goods.  The legislation also places more responsibility on manufacturers to do the right thing.  Differences between the House and Senate bills need to be reconciled through conference as quickly as possible.  And Congress needs to combine the strongest consumer protection measures contained in each bill.

Much is at stake:  The CPSC has initiated 121 recalls in the first four months of 2008 involving nearly 10 million unsafe products. They include more than 5.9 million toys and other children’s products with harmful, tiny magnets; toxic lead paint; and choking and strangulation hazards. Consumers Union  has compiled a full report on recent recalls called: Still Not Safe: New Recalls Underline Need for Strong Hazardous Product Legislation.

Our children can’t protect themselves.  Congressional leaders need to move forward quickly and prepare the toughest bill possible for the President to sign that will take our children out of harm’s way of dangerous products.—Don Mays

Professor Jeffrey Weidenhamer: Lessons learned about lead

When the Consumer Product Safety Commission recently recalled a lead-laden key chain sold at Wal-Mart for three years, Ashland University Professor Jeffrey Weidenhamer was pleased but puzzled. Pleased that the CPSC had acted to remove the key chain from the market but puzzled that it had taken them so long to do so. After all, Weidenhamer had found high lead levels in a similar key chain when he tested it in 2006 and reported his results to the CPSC that December. What prompted the April recall was not Weidenhamer's testing but reports that a nine-month-old child who had mouthed one had elevated levels of lead in her blood.

"You shouldn't have to wait a year or 16 months to recall a product,"  Weidenhamer told a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Until recently, Weidenhamer’s research specialty had been chemical compounds produced by plants. Now he is more widely known for the research that he and his students at the Ohio college have done on lead in children’s toys. His findings may have resulted in at least 11 recalls by the Consumer Product Safety Commission involving more than 1.4 million individual items. That’s an impressive track record—although Weidenhamer is hesitant about touting it. As he wrote in Ashland's alumni magazine, “It is unfortunate that someone can become well known for drawing attention to lead contamination issues. It certainly would be far better for the kids if there were no story at all about lead contamination in these products.”

Weidenhamer’s fame all started with a chemistry class, Lead and Civilization, that he taught for non-majors and that focused on the chemistry and toxicity of lead. Then in the spring semester of 2006, he learned that a four-year-old Minnesota boy had died of lead poisoning after swallowing a lead-laden charm given away with a pair of shoes by Reebok International. (Earlier this year, Reebok agreed to pay a record $1 million penalty for distributing the charm bracelet).

Knowing that the analysis of metal samples for lead was not too involved, Weidenhamer thought his class would be able to conduct tests in the lab to see if similar items were on store shelves in his Ohio city. “I was not prepared for what my students found,” he said. “In the first set of 20 inexpensive jewelry items, 14 were heavily leaded, in two cases as high as 100 percent lead by weight.” CPSC guidelines for lead in children’s jewelry items sets a maximum level of 0.06 percent lead by weight.

Weidenhamer and his students have done repeated testing since the spring of 2006, including some tests of Halloween toys completed at the request of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.  Weidenhamer says he tested more than 50 different items and found lead contamination in six of them, including plastic teeth. That, he says “seemed like the worst since they were clearly designed to go into a child’s mouth.” (The teeth were recalled by the CPSC.)

This spring, Weidenhamer found lead in several Easter products, two of which were recalled by the CPSC the Friday before Easter.  “It is a surprise that after all the publicity about toy recalls of last year ... you can still find items on the shelves with lead in them.” He said he will continue to test products. “Hopefully by Halloween this year, we won’t be finding lead in paint in these products,” he said. “It shouldn’t be remotely possible for me or anyone to go out to American stores and pull products from shelves, test them and find levels of lead in them.”

Let's hope he's right but as long as it is possible, we are thankful for Weidenhamer’s efforts. And for that, he becomes one of our safety crusaders.

CPSC recalls related to complaints filed by Weidenhamer

• 86,400 children's "Ultra Gear" bracelets (DM Merchandising) Feb. 7, 2007
• 115,000 "Claudia Jublot" children's rings (Big Lots) Feb. 23, 2007
• 396,000 metal key chains (Dollar General) April 3, 2007
• 63,000 Frankenstein tumblers (Dollar General) Oct. 4, 2007
• 55,000 Halloween skull pails (Albert’s) Oct. 17, 2007
• 142,000 purple Halloween pails with witch decorations (Family Dollar Store) Oct. 25, 2007
• 43,000 “Ugly teeth” party favors (Amscan Inc.) Oct. 31, 2007
• 10,000 Halloween-themed baskets (Hobby Lobby) Nov. 16, 2007
• 205,000 pieces assorted Rachel Rose jewelry (Family Dollar Store) Nov. 21, 2007
• 13,000 camouflage eggs and spinning egg top toys (Hobby Lobby) Mar. 21, 2008
• 310,000 seasonal writing pads (Michaels Stores)

Following manufacturer, CPSC recalls grill that melted in CU tests

Four days after Onward Manufacturing of Canada announced a recall of three models of gas grills after the firebox of two samples melted in tests conducted by Consumer Reports, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission followed suit today with its own recall. In the recall notice, the CPSC said the recall involved 4,800 Signet, Sovereign and Sovereign XL series gas grills.

Consumer Reports encountered the problem in a routine test to determine how well a grill handles flare ups from fatty foods. In the tests, a Broil King Signet 90's firebox melted, dripping molten metal onto the area beneath the grill. We subsequently tested two other samples of this grill: The firebox of one melted and that of the other grill had begun to crack and deform by the end of the test. Because we believe that the Broil King Signet 90 is dangerous and poses a serious safety risk, we judged it Not Acceptable.

Our earlier report on the recall details our testing, includes a video, and outlines the steps that Onward is taking to correct the problem.

First the toys, now the toy bin

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall Thursday of 84,000 children’s storage bins. The pastel pink or lime green paint on the bins has excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead-paint standard. The bins were sold at Lowe’s from March 2007 through February 2008.

The storage bins are wooden with scalloped edges and were sold in pastel colors. Only the pink (item number 226781) and green (item number 226782) bins have been recalled. If you own one, the CPSC advises that you take it away from children immediately. You can return it to Lowe’s for a full refund. For more information, contact the importer, L G Sourcing, at (866) 493-6563 or go to www.Lowes.com.

No injuries have been reported from this product, but the potential dangers of lead exposure include developmental and learning disorders.

While you are examining your toy box, also take a look at the toys inside and check to see if any have been recalled lately. Recalls covered on this blog include not only toys that contain lead, but those that pose a choking hazard and others that contain tiny magnets that can cause intestinal damage if swallowed.

Manufacturer recalls grill found faulty in CU tests

Onward Manufacturing of Canada Wednesday recalled three models of gas grills after the firebox of two samples of the Broil King Signet 90 melted in tests conducted by Consumer Reports.  The company's recall, which is expected to be followed shortly by an announcement from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, involves the Signet, Sovereign and Sovereign XL grills with model numbers starting with 986, 987 and 988. The serial numbers start with X, Y and Z.

In our routine test to determine how well a grill handles flare ups from fatty foods, a Broil King Signet 90's firebox melted, dripping molten metal onto the area beneath the grill, just missing the hand of one tester who was turning off the gas to the grill. (The space beneath the grill is where the propane tank is stored.) We subsequently tested two other samples of this grill: The firebox of one melted and that of the other grill had begun to crack and deform by the end of the test. Because we believe that the Broil King Signet 90 is dangerous and poses a serious safety risk, we have judged it Not Acceptable.

We reported our findings to the company that makes the grill, Onward Manufacturing, the CPSC and Health Canada, a government safety agency in that country.

Onward is offering owners of the affected grills a baffle. On its Web site it says: "A baffle has been designed which reduces flare-ups caused by grease and protects the cookbox from excessive heat should a grease fire occur." Owners can get the baffle by registering at the company's Web site  or by calling (866) 434-7455. A video posted with the recall notice shows owners how to install the baffle.

The model and serial numbers are located on the gas caution sticker, which is either on the bottom shelf near the wheels or on the rear cart support bar on the back of the grill.

We applaud Onward Manufacturing and the CPSC for the speed with which they responded.  Now that a retrofit kit is available, we hope to test it and report soon on how effective it is in addressing this serious safety problem.

Nintendo recalls 71,000 character pins that violate lead standard

Nintendo has recalled 12 lapel pins of characters from its popular video games because the metal pins contain high levels of lead. The 71,000 pins were sold at two Nintendo stores—in New York, NY and Redmond, WA—or given away to employees at electronics and game stores nationwide.

The lapel pins vary in size from 1- to 2-inches in height and portray the characters Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Mario, Mario Kart, Pikachu, Princess Peach, Samus, Starfox, Waluigi and Wario. They were sold individually between April 2004 and November 2007 for between $1.50 and $4. Mario, Princess Peach and Samus were also sold as a set. In that same period, the recalled lapel pins were distributed as promotions to employees at electronics and game stores around the country.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which announced the recall, advised consumers to immediately stop wearing the lapel pins and to contact Nintendo to receive a free replacement pin by calling (800) 431-0971 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visiting the firm’s Web site www.nintendo.com. Images of all 12 pins can be found on both the CPSC and Nintendo Web sites.

Safety alert: Broil King Signet 90 judged 'Not Acceptable'

Most dangers with gas grills are obvious. Our own analysis of data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission didn’t reveal many surprises. Almost all of the estimated 11,000 grill injuries treated in hospitals each year are due to burns of the hands, arms and face. About a dozen people are killed each year. Young children are particularly at risk. The U.S Fire Administration  reports that in 2005 gas grills caused approximately 7,200 home-related fires. Grill fires go up during warm-weather months, and have also climbed with the increasing popularity of gas grills. None of this is unexpected.

What is surprising is the type of failure Consumer Reports found with a Broil King grill we tested for our June 2008 issue.  In one of our routine tests to determine how well each grill handles flare ups from fatty foods, the firebox of the Broil King Signet 90 986784LP melted. The result: molten metal dripped down from the firebox onto the area beneath the grill, just missing one tester’s hand. The space beneath the grill is where the propane tank is stored. We subsequently tested two other samples of this grill: in one the firebox again melted and in the other the firebox had begun to crack and deform by the end of the test.

Because we believe that the Broil King Signet 90 is dangerous and poses a serious safety risk, we judged it “Not Acceptable.” We reported our findings to the company that makes the grill, Onward Manufacturing of Canada, the  Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, a government safety agency in that country. Onward told us that they are developing a retrofit kit to resolve this problem and will soon make it available to owners and Onward dealers. We hope to test the kit when it becomes available. (For more information on the retrofit kit contact 866-434-7455, or send an e-mail to kit@omcbbq.com.)

We’ve been testing gas grills for more than 30 years and have never before seen this type of failure. We do not know why the grill deformed and melted. Our flare-up test for a mid-sized grill such as the Broil King Signet 90 involves putting six steaks on the grill and cooking them with the lid down. We do not believe this test to be particularly severe and it is intended to mimic how the grill is likely to be used by consumers. Our article notes that the grill carries two safety certification marks issued by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), indicating that it complies with applicable safety standards. But those safety standards don’t involve grilling real food. We will lobby CSA to have those standards re-examined and strengthened in the near future.

If you’ve experienced a melting firebox or any other safety hazard with your gas grill, please let us know. Also be sure to report the problem to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.—Don Mays

Recall of LawnBott mower prompted by CU tests

The May 2008 issue of Consumer Reports contains a report of our tests on lawn mowers, including one that we judged “Not Acceptable.”  The LawnBott LB3200 Evolution, a robotic mower that scoots around the yard without an operator, poses a serious safety risk, in our judgment.  When the 25-pound LawnBott was lifted off the ground, its blades kept spinning for nearly four seconds—long enough to cause serious harm to an adult or curious child.  If lifted less than about 45 degrees, the spinning blades wouldn’t shut off at all.  After our tests, we reported our finding to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as well as to the U.S. distributor for this Italian-made machine, hoping that they would address this safety issue before people got seriously hurt. 

Today, our hopes were realized.  The CPSC has just announced a recall of four LawnBott robotic mowers with model numbers LB2000, LB2100, LB3000, and LB3200, the model we tested.  All models were manufactured by Zucchetti Centro Sistemi S.p.A., of Italy.

The mowers have a docking station for recharging and a shiny plastic cover sold in red, green or blue. ”Evolution” or “Deluxe” is printed on the side of the mower. They were sold nationwide by Kyodo America dealers from January 2006 through December 2007 for between $1,750 and $2,750.

According to the recall notice, the U.S. importer, Kyodo America Industries, of Lawrenceville, GA, has received one report of a consumer lifting the mower from the ground and suffering minor lacerations from the moving blade.

Consumers should stop using the recalled LawnBott mowers immediately and contact Kyodo America to register their lawn mowers for repairs that will not be ready until the end of June.  Although most recalls have a remedy immediately available, in this case the CPSC said it was important to warn consumers about the hazard now while the fix is still in the works.  For more information, contact Kyodo America at (877) 465-9636 or visit the firm’s web site at www.lawnbott.com. —Don Mays