Exploring Nature Funstation

CPSC Recall #97-030 — November 25, 1996

Recall Summary

Recall Number97-030
Recall DateNovember 25, 1996
Remedy TypeDispose, No Remedy Available
Units Affected34,000

Where It Was Sold

Warehouse clubs
bookstores
chain stores
and whole salers sold the kits nationwide from March 1996 through August 1996 for about $13 to $22.

Product

Exploring Nature Funstation

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Price Stern Sloan Inc. of Los Angeles is voluntarily recalling more than 34,000 Exploring Nature Funstation science activity book kits. The kit is packaged with a compass that may leak fluid containing kerosene. The compass can be hazardous to young children if they ingest the kerosene or inhale it into their lungs. Price Stern Sloan Inc. has received one report of a 16-month-old child who vomited after ingesting fluid from the compass. The kit is intended for children 8 and older. The Exploring Nature Funstation (ISBN # 08431-3942-0) contains a book with a number of science projects and items to perform the science projects including a compass, magnifying glass, petri dish, crayons, a tweezers, test tube, a thermometer, and stickers. Warehouse clubs, bookstores, chain stores, and whole salers sold the kits nationwide from March 1996 through August 1996 for about $13 to $22. Consumers should take these recalled kits away from children immediately. The firm is out of business. Please discard or destroy these products.

Hazard

The kit is packaged with a compass that may leak fluid containing kerosene. The compass can be hazardous to young children if they ingest the kerosene or inhale it into their lungs.

Incidents & Injuries

Price Stern Sloan Inc. has received one report of a 16-month-old child who vomited after ingesting fluid from the compass. The kit is intended for children 8 and older.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should take these recalled kits away from children immediately. The firm is out of business. Please discard or destroy these products.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available 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 (Dispose, No Remedy Available) 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.