Soft Foam Bath Blocks
CPSC Recall #85-071 - December 30, 1985
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 85-071 |
| Recall Date | December 30, 1985 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | An estimated 19,000 sets have been distributed nationwide. |
Where It Was Sold
| Daytons-Minneapolis |
| Minnesota; Hudsons-Minneapolis |
| Minnesota; Brandeis- Omaha |
| Nebraska; Abraham and Strauss-Brooklyn |
| New York; Godchaux-Baton Rouge |
| Louisiana; Liberty House-Honolulu |
| Hawaii; Foley's-Houston |
| Texas; Burdines-Miami |
| Florida; Rich's-Atlanta |
| Georgia; Woodward and Lothrop- Washington |
| D.C.; Higbee's-Cleveland |
| Ohio: Bloomingdales-New York |
| New York; Boston Store-Milwaukee |
| Wisconsin: Sanger Harris-Dallas |
| Texas; Bullock's-Los Angeles |
| California; Lazarus-Columbus |
| Ohio; Shillito Rikes- Cincinnati |
| Ohio; and Hudson Bay Company-Toronto |
| Canada. |
Product
Soft Foam Bath Blocks
Description
In cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the stores listed below today announced a voluntary recall of soft bath blocks they sold beginning about August, 1985. These bath blocks pose a potential danger if small children bite off pieces large enough to lodge in their throats and cause them to choke or suffocate. To date, these products are not known to have caused any such injuries.The blocks are made of a dense foam material, come in different shapes and colors in a 20-piece set, and when wet, they stick together. 'Iccr The top of the box is labeled "20-piece set Soft Bath Blocks, Cling to Each Other. Use to Build Towers, Pyramids, Boats, Castles and More. Light enough to Float. Ages 6 months to Adult," and in smaller type, "Item #5768." The side of the box is labeled "Distributed by AMC, NY, NY 10018" or "Manufactured by Ohsawa Trading Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan." The blocks sell at retail for approximately $10.00. An estimated 19,000 sets have been distributed nationwide.The stores that have sold the soft bath blocks are: Daytons-Minneapolis, Minnesota; Hudsons-Minneapolis, Minnesota; Brandeis- Omaha, Nebraska; Abraham and Strauss-Brooklyn, New York; Godchaux-Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Liberty House-Honolulu, Hawaii; Foley's-Houston, Texas; Burdines-Miami, Florida; Rich's-Atlanta, Georgia; Woodward and Lothrop- Washington, D.C.; Higbee's-Cleveland, Ohio: Bloomingdales-New York, New York; Boston Store-Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Sanger Harris-Dallas, Texas; Bullock's-Los Angeles, California; Lazarus-Columbus, Ohio; Shillito Rikes- Cincinnati, Ohio; and Hudson Bay Company-Toronto, Canada.Consumers should remove these products from use immediately and return them by mail or in person to the retailer where purchased for a refund of the purchase price and postage or transportation costs. Anyone wishing additional information may contact the store where the product was purchased, or the CPSC toll-free hotline at 800-638-CPSC. The Commission's teletypewriter number for the hearing-impaired is (800) 638-8270.
Hazard
These bath blocks pose a potential danger if small children bite off pieces large enough to lodge in their throats and cause them to choke or suffocate.
Incidents & Injuries
To date, these products are not known to have caused any such injuries.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should remove these products from use immediately and return them by mail or in person to the retailer where purchased for a refund of the purchase price and postage or transportation costs.
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.
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.