Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnets
CPSC Recall #07-039 - November 20, 2006
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 07-039 |
| Recall Date | November 20, 2006 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 2.4 million play sets (an additional 2 million play sets were sold worldwide) |
| Importer | Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, Calif. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Discount department stores and toy stores from May 2003 through September 2006 for between $15 and $30. |
Product
Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnets
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 2.4 million play sets (an additional 2 million play sets were sold worldwide) Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnets. Tiny magnets inside the dolls and accessories can fall out undetected by parents and caregivers. The magnets can be swallowed, aspirated by young children or placed by a child in their nose or ears. When more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal. Aspiration to the lungs requires immediate surgery. Magnets placed in the nose or ears can cause swelling and be difficult to remove.Name of Products: Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnetsUnits: About 2.4 million play sets (an additional 2 million play sets were sold worldwide)Importer: Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, Calif.Hazard: Tiny magnets inside the dolls and accessories can fall out undetected by parents and caregivers. The magnets can be swallowed, aspirated by young children or placed by a child in their nose or ears. When more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal. Aspiration to the lungs requires immediate surgery. Magnets placed in the nose or ears can cause swelling and be difficult to remove.Incidents/Injuries: CPSC is aware of 170 reports of the small magnets coming out of these recalled toys. There were three reports of serious injuries to children who swallowed more than one magnet. All three suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery. A 2-year-old child was hospitalized for seven days, and a 7-year-old child was hospitalized for 12 days. An 8-year-old child was also hospitalized.Description: The recalled Polly Pocket play sets contain plastic dolls and accessories that have small magnets. The magnets measure 1/8 inch in diameter and are imbedded in the hands and feet of some dolls, and in the plastic clothing, hair pieces and other accessories to help the pieces attach to the doll or to the doll's house. The model number is printed on the bottom of the largest pieces on some of the play sets. Contact Mattel if you cannot find a model number on your product to determine if it is part of the recall. Polly Pocket magnetic play sets currently on store shelves are not included in this recall.Polly Pocket Magnetic Play SetsItem NumberPolly Pocket!™ Polly Place™ Hangin' Out House™B2632Polly Pocket!™ Polly Place™ Treetop Clubhouse™B3158Polly Pocket!™ Spa Day™B3201Polly Totally!™ Polly Place™ Totally Tiki Diner™B7118Polly Pocket!™ Quik-Clik™ BoutiqueG8605Polly Pocket!™ Quik-Clik™ City Pretty PlaysetH1537Polly Pocket!™ Quik-Clik™ Sporty Style PlaysetH1538Polly Pocket!™ Totally Zen™ PlaysetH3211Sold at: Discount department stores and toy stores from May 2003 through September 2006 for between $15 and $30.Manufactured in: ChinaRemedy: Consumers should immediately take these recalled toys away from children and contact Mattel to arrange for the return of the sets and to receive a voucher for a replacement toy of the customer's choice, up to the value of the returned product.Consumer Contact: For additional information contact Mattel at (888) 597-6597 anytime, or visit the firm's Web site at www.service.mattel.com.
Hazard
Tiny magnets inside the dolls and accessories can fall out undetected by parents and caregivers. The magnets can be swallowed, aspirated by young children or placed by a child in their nose or ears. When more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal. Aspiration to the lungs requires immediate surgery. Magnets placed in the nose or ears can cause swelling and be difficult to remove.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC is aware of 170 reports of the small magnets coming out of these recalled toys. There were three reports of serious injuries to children who swallowed more than one magnet. All three suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery. A 2-year-old child was hospitalized for seven days, and a 7-year-old child was hospitalized for 12 days. An 8-year-old child was also hospitalized.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately take these recalled toys away from children and contact Mattel to arrange for the return of the sets and to receive a voucher for a replacement toy of the customer's choice, up to the value of the returned product.
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.
Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.
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.