50- and 100-piece building block sets
CPSC Recall #93-059 — April 4, 1993
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 93-059 |
| Recall Date | April 4, 1993 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | 5,200 50-piece sets and 4,500 100-piece sets |
| Manufacturer | Palkar Plastics, of Israel |
| Manufactured In | Israel |
Where It Was Sold
| The sets were sold nationwide in Toys "R" Us stores during 1992 for approximately $7.99 for the 50-piece set and $12.99 for the 100- piece set. |
Product
50- and 100-piece building block sets
Description
PRODUCT: Approximately 10,000 50- and 100-piece building block sets, imported from Israel. The block sets come in either primary or fluorescent (neon) colors in five different sizes. Sets were sold in a yellow or white plastic basket with a white plastic handle. Sets were sold in Toys "R" Us stores nationwide. PROBLEM: The red "roof top" blocks in each set fail to meet the Small Parts Requirement under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and could pose a choking hazard to young children. WHAT TO DO: Consumers are urged to take the small red roof top blocks away from young children immediately and throw the blocks away, or mail them to: Palkar Plastics, c/o Primex International, 230 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor, NY 10001 to receive 10 replacement blocks. Consumers with questions about this recall may contact Primex toll-free at 1-800-929-4754. WASHINGTON, DC -- CPSC, Palkar Plastics of Israel is recalling approximately 5,200 50-piece sets and 4,500 100-piece sets of building blocks. The small red roof top blocks in each set fail to meet the Small Parts Requirement under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and could pose a choking hazard to young children. Each 50-piece set contains two red roof top blocks, and each 100-piece set contains five red roof top blocks. This recall is being handled by the firm's representative, Primex International Trading Corporation, New York, NY. The block sets come in either primary colors or fluorescent (neon) colors in five different sizes. Each set was sold in a yellow or white plastic basket with a white plastic handle. The sets were sold nationwide in Toys "R" Us stores during 1992 for approximately $7.99 for the 50-piece set and $12.99 for the 100- piece set. The label on the side of the baskets reads in part: "50 (or 100) Plastic Building Blocks, #50, 9 Shapes, 5 Colors, Ages 18 Mos. & Up; Made in Israel by Palkar for Primex, New York, N.Y. 10001." Consumers are urged to take the small red roof top blocks away from young children immediately and throw the blocks away, or mail them to: Palkar Plastics, c/o Primex International, 230 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001 to receive 10 replacement blocks. Consumers with questions about this recall may contact Primex toll-free at 1-800-929-4754. Neither the CPSC nor the company is aware of any injuries involving these blocks. This voluntary recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury. The potentially hazardous toys were reported to CPSC by the Health Services Department, State of Kentucky. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.6 million injuries and 21,700 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.
Hazard
The red "roof top" blocks in each set fail to meet the Small Parts Requirement under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and could pose a choking hazard to young children.
Incidents & Injuries
Neither the CPSC nor the company is aware of any injuries involving these blocks.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers are urged to take the small red roof top blocks away from young children immediately and throw the blocks away, or mail them to: Palkar Plastics, c/o Primex International, 230 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor, NY 10001 to receive 10 replacement blocks.
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.