"Kaleidoscope Art" sets, item number 820

CPSC Recall #94-124 - September 6, 1994

Recall Summary

Recall Number94-124
Recall DateSeptember 6, 1994
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 14,000
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

The Kaleidoscope Art sets
which Shure imported from China
were sold nationwide by Toys R Us from January through August 1994.

Product

"Kaleidoscope Art" sets, item number 820

Description

Washington, D.C. - CPSC, Shure Products Inc., Chicago, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 14,000 "Kaleidoscope Art" sets, item number 820. Although the product box is labeled "non-toxic" and "conforms to ASTM D4236" (an art products safety labeling standard), these crayons contain enough lead to present a lead poisoning risk to young children, who might eat or chew on the crayons. Shure Products and Toys R Us, the retailer for these sets, initiated the recall after CPSC laboratory analyses showed that Kaleidoscope Art set crayons had high levels of lead. The Kaleidoscope Art sets, which Shure imported from China, were sold nationwide by Toys R Us from January through August 1994. Each Kaleidoscope Art set contains a box of eight crayons, six sheets of "line art" (geometric shapes to color), and a six-inch kaleidoscope. Children are supposed to color in the geometric shapes and view them through the kaleidoscope. The set is labeled "Ages 4 & up." Consumers who own the Kaleidoscope Art sets should take them away from children immediately and return them to Toys R Us for a refund. For more information about this recall, consumers may call Shure Products Inc., at (312) 633-9002 or write to Richard Moy, consumer affairs manager, Shure Products Inc., 1474 West Hubbard Street, Chicago, IL. 60622. CPSC learned of the problem with these art sets from the New York State Consumer Protection Board. According to Shure, they had the products tested in the appropriate manner at a private testing laboratory.

Hazard

Although the product box is labeled "non-toxic" and "conforms to ASTM D4236" (an art products safety labeling standard), these crayons contain enough lead to present a lead poisoning risk to young children, who might eat or chew on the crayons.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers who own the Kaleidoscope Art sets should take them away from children immediately and return them to Toys R Us for a refund.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund 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 (Refund) at no cost to you.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product, whether recalled or not, you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

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.