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Sesame Street Busy Poppin' Pals toys

CPSC Recall #01-050 - December 7, 2000

Recall Summary

Recall Number01-050
Recall DateDecember 7, 2000
Remedy TypeReplace
Units Affected170,000
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Mass merchandise stores and toy stores sold these toys (Playskool model 5446 made in China) nationwide from November 1994 through 1996 for about $10.

Product

Sesame Street Busy Poppin' Pals toys

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Playskool, of Pawtucket, R.I., is voluntarily expanding its recall program for its Busy Poppin' Pals toys to include 170,000 Sesame Street Busy Poppin' Pals toys. Small springs inside these toys can break loose, posing a choking and laceration hazard to young children. On August 16, 2000, Playskool and CPSC announced the recall of 420,000 Busy Poppin' Pals toys with model number 5415, featuring animal characters, for the same problem. Playskool has received eight reports relating to the springs in its Sesame Street Busy Poppin' Pals toys, including one report that a child put the broken spring in his mouth. No injuries were reported. Playskool received 16 reports of springs breaking in the Busy Poppin' Pals toy recalled earlier. This resulted in five children putting the broken springs in their mouths, and two of these children suffering lacerations. Playskool's Sesame Street Busy Poppin' Pals toy is a 13-inch long white plastic toy with blue, yellow and green buttons, levers and knobs of various shapes that, when activated, make Sesame Street characters pop up from under the toy's base. The characters -- Elmo, Ernie, Big Bird, Bert, and Cookie Monster -- are hidden under corresponding blue, yellow or green lids that have the numbers one through five imprinted on top. The toy has a white carry handle and features the Playskool and Sesame Street logos on the front. The model number, "5446," "MADE IN CHINA" and "C-023B" are imprinted on the bottom of the toy. Mass merchandise stores and toy stores sold these toys (Playskool model 5446 made in China) nationwide from November 1994 through 1996 for about $10. Consumers should take these toys away from young children immediately, and contact Playskool at (800) 752-9755 anytime or visit the firm's website at www.hasbro.com to get information about how to receive a free redesigned replacement toy. Busy Poppin' Pals toys with model 6205 have different springs and are not part of this recall. Any Busy Poppin' Pals toys that have "Made in Mexico" imprinted on the toy's bottom are not part of this recall. 

Hazard

Small springs inside these toys can break loose, posing a choking and laceration hazard to young children.

Incidents & Injuries

Playskool has received eight reports relating to the springs in its Sesame Street Busy Poppin' Pals toys, including one report that a child put the broken spring in his mouth. No injuries were reported. Playskool received 16 reports of springs breaking in the Busy Poppin' Pals toy recalled earlier. This resulted in five children putting the broken springs in their mouths, and two of these children suffering lacerations.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should take these toys away from young children immediately, and contact Playskool at (800) 752-9755 anytime or visit the firm's website at www.hasbro.com to get information about how to receive a free redesigned replacement toy.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.

Federal law prohibits the sale of toys with small parts for children under age 3. CPSC uses a standardized small parts cylinder to test whether pieces from a toy can fit entirely inside, if they can, they are considered a choking hazard. Products marketed for children under 3 must not contain any small parts. Beyond the legal requirements, the CPSC and pediatricians recommend keeping all small objects away from children under 4, as the risk of choking extends beyond the formal legal age threshold.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.

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