Busy Poppin' Pals toys
CPSC Recall #00-164 — August 15, 2000
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 00-164 |
| Recall Date | August 15, 2000 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | 420,000 |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Mass merchandise and toy stores |
| including Toys R Us |
| sold these toys nationwide for about $10. The toys were sold from January 1996 through August 2000. |
Product
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 recalling to replace 420,000 Busy Poppin' Pals toys. Small springs inside the toy can break loose, posing a choking and laceration hazard to young children.Playskool has received 16 reports of the springs breaking. Five children put the broken springs in their mouths, resulting in two children suffering lacerations. The Playskool Busy Poppin' Pals is a 13-inch-long white plastic toy with blue, yellow and red buttons, levers and knobs of various shapes that, when activated, make animal characters pop up from under the toy's base. The animals are hidden under blue, yellow or red lids that have the numbers 1 through 5 on top. The lid colors match the color of the buttons, levers and knobs that activate them. The pop-up animals are a giraffe, elephant, panda bear, lion and monkey. The toy has a white carry handle and has the Playskool logo on the front. The model number 5415 and "MADE IN CHINA" are imprinted on the bottom of the toy.Mass merchandise and toy stores, including Toys R Us, sold these toys nationwide for about $10. The toys were sold from January 1996 through August 2000.Consumers should take these toys away from young children immediately and contact Playskool at (800) 752-9755 anytime or visit their website at http://www.hasbro.com/consumer/safety.html to receive a free, redesigned replacement toy.Busy Poppin Pals, with model number 6205 have different springs, and are not part of the recall. Consumers can also view a video clip about this recall (transcript). This is in "streaming video" format.
Hazard
Small springs inside the toy can break loose, posing a choking and laceration hazard to young children.
Incidents & Injuries
Playskool has received 16 reports of the springs breaking. Five children put the broken springs in their mouths, resulting in two children suffering lacerations.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should take these toys away from young children immediately and contact Playskool at (800) 752-9755 anytime 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.
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.