Children's necklaces and bracelets

CPSC Recall #94-017 - December 12, 1993

Recall Summary

Recall Number94-017
Recall DateDecember 12, 1993
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 26,000
Manufactured InChina

Product

Children's necklaces and bracelets

Description

PRODUCT: Children's necklaces and bracelets imported and distributed by Midwest Importers of Cannon Falls, Inc. The products are made of wooden blue, pink, purple and yellow colored beads with white wooden rabbits and orange wooden carrots strung on elastic strings. Approximately 26,000 necklaces and 39,000 bracelets were sold at retail stores nationwide from December 1992 through October 1993. PROBLEM: The paint on the beads contain levels of lead that exceed government standards, presenting a safety hazard to children. WHAT TO DO: Consumers should immediately take the necklaces and bracelets away from children and return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. For more information, consumers may call Midwest Importers at 1-507-263-4261. WASHINGTON, DC -- CPSC, Midwest Importers of Cannon Falls, Inc., Cannon Falls, MN is voluntarily recalling about 26,000 24-inch children's toy necklaces and 39,000 6-inch children's toy bracelets. Testing by the company revealed that the levels of lead in the products' paint exceeds government standards, presenting a safety hazard to children. Even though CPSC and the company know of no poisoning incidents, this recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of poisoning. Both the necklaces and bracelets are constructed of wooden blue, pink, purple, and yellow colored beads with white wooden rabbits and orange wooden carrots strung on elastic strings. Each product is packaged in a 3-inch by 3-inch cardboard box with a transparent plastic lid. The boxes are not labeled except for a small adhesive tag attached to an elastic string which says "Made in China" and bears the Cannon Falls copyright. The products were imported from China and sold at retail stores nationwide from December 1992 through October 1993. The necklaces sold for approximately $3.00 each and bracelets sold for approximately $1.00 each. Consumers are urged to immediately take the necklaces and bracelets away from children and return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. For more information, consumers may call Midwest Importers of Cannon Falls, Inc. at (507) 263-4261. CPSC 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 paint on the beads contain levels of lead that exceed government standards, presenting a safety hazard to children.

Incidents & Injuries

Even though CPSC and the company know of no poisoning incidents, this recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of poisoning.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately take the necklaces and bracelets away from children and return them to the store where they were purchased for a full 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.