Recall roundup: Diego, jewelry, Halloween pails and more

In what has become almost a weekly event, the Consumer Product Safety Commission today recalled a variety of children's toys, jewelry and holiday products because they contain lead. Among the recalls are 38,000 toy boats by Fisher-Price featuring the popular cartoon character Diego in the driver's seat. Also recalled were 308,000 pieces of children's jewelry, 142,000 Halloween pails for trick-or-treating, 80,000 bobble-head cake decorations and a third recall of 97,000 children's gardening tools that expanded two recalls made this summer. The recalled items should be taken away from children immediately. Here are the details. Click on the title links for photos and refund information.

Go Diego Go Animal Rescue Boats
How many: 38,000
Description: An orange and yellow boat that squirts water. Cartoon character Diego is in the driver’s seat. “Fisher Price,” product number K3413, and a date code between 137-7HF and 223-7HF are marked on the toys.
Reason: Surface paints contain excessive levels of lead.
Sold at: Retail stores nationwide from June 2007 through October 2007 for about $15.
Made in: China
Importer: Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, N.Y.
Contact: Fisher-Price at (888) 299-0579 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.service.mattel.com

Beary Cute, Expressions, and Sassy & Chic Children’s Metal Jewelry
How many: 198,000
Description: Beary Cute, Expressions, and Sassy & Chic children’s jewelry (necklaces, bracelets and earrings) with items number 855589, 873091, 873097, or 903950. The item number can be found on the reverse of the packaging.
Reason: The jewelry contains high levels of lead.
Sold at: Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks and Only $1 stores nationwide from December 2005 through July 2007 for $1.
Made in: China
Importer: Greenbrier International, Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.
Contact: Dollar Tree Stores Inc. at (800) 876- 8077 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dollartree.com

WeGlow Children’s Metal Jewelry
How many: 110,000
Description:  WeGlow children’s flashing rings. The character-themed rings were sold in Shrek the Third and Spiderman 3 designs. The rings have item number 920422 printed on back of the packaging.
Reason: The jewelry contains high levels of lead.
Sold at: Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks and Only $1 stores nationwide from December 2005 through August 2007 for $1.
Made in: China
Importer: WeGlow International, of Virginia Beach, Va.
Contact: WeGlow toll-free at (866) 934- 5692 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.weglow.com.

Purple Halloween Pails with Witch Decorations
How many: 142,000
Description: Purple Halloween pails with a picture of a witch figure silhouetted against a green moon. The pail measures about 6 1/2 inches high. “Distributed by Family Dollar, Inc,” SKU number 1033953, and UPC number 017845000591 are printed on a label on the pail. Orange Halloween pails with black jack-o-lantern decorations are not included in this recall.
Reason: The green paint on the pails contains excessive levels of lead.
Sold at: Family Dollar stores nationwide from August 2007 through October 2007 for about $1.
Made in: China
Importer: Family Dollar Stores, of Charlotte, N.C.
Contact: Family Dollar at (800) 547-0359 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.familydollar.com.

Football Bobble Head Cake Decorations
How many: 80,000
Description: Plastic miniature football bobble heads with green bases only, which were sold for placement on a cake. The bobble heads represented at least 15 major teams in the NFL.
Reason: Surface paint on the body of the bobble head contains lead
Sold at: Bakeries and ice cream stores nationwide from January 2006 through October 2007 with the purchase of a cake or ice cream.
Made in: China
Manufacturer: DecoPac Inc., of Anoka, Minn.
Contact: DecoPac Product Safety at (800) 536-6558 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.decopacproductsafety.com.

Children’s Toy Gardening Tools
Earlier recalls: September and August.
How many: 97,000
Description: This recall involves the Robbie Ducky children’s leaf rake, hoe, broom and spade from the “Robbie Ducky Garden Collection,” which is printed on a tag attached to the handle. The tools measure between 27 and 29 inches long.
Reason: Surface paint on the handle of the toy gardening tools can contain excessive levels of lead paint.
Sold at: Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores nationwide from January 2007 through September 2007 for about $7.
Made in: China
Importer: Jo-Ann Stores Inc., of Hudson, Ohio.
Contact: Jo-Ann Stores Inc. toll-free at (888) 739-4120 ext. 7 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or email the firm at guest.services@jo-annstores.com or visit the firm’s Web site at www.joann.com.

Comments

[Jessica Barker]

BUY AMERICAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think we should all stand together and say NO to anything made in China. Then when sales start going down for the big companies that export work, maybe they will pay attention, and make products that are safe for our children and families.

[All most impossible]

It is next to impossible to not buy something made in China. Even if it was made in the US, some of the ingredients come from China. Prime example is the pet food recall. It was made here in the US, but the ingredients came from multiple countries, including China.

Secondly, with the way prices are today, we can only afford things made in China. China is overworked, underpaid and basically have no life except work. Are we as Americans ready to give up our 40 - 50 hours of working to do a job that requires us to work 80 - 90 hours? Do you think the factories in China have Unions? Probably not.

I remember when we were young playing with our toys... Do you think they were tested. Nope. I live in home that was built in the 1800's, it was built in the US and I am sure there is some lead somewhere.

If you have children, and they tend to put things in their mouth, ears or noses, you have to pay close attention. My 8 year old daughter still puts things in her mouth, so guess what, no jewelry for her until she ceases putting objects in her mouth.

Something to think about: according to California Proposition 65, there are over 800 chemicals deemed unsafe, so you better stop grilling your food or using plastic because it is going to kill you.

[billy mize]

looks like we need to stop buying any thing that is made in china becaust they only use lead paint thats what the large companys get for sending all of thier products to china instead of letting the american worker do the jor right the first time, unstead of having to redo the orders over and over