Toys 'R' Us Recalls Chinese Art Sets
Thursday August 30, 6:18 pm ET
By Linda A. Johnson, AP Business Writer
Toys 'R' Us Recalls Art Sets Made in China Due to Excessive Lead Levels in Watercolor Paints
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Toys "R" Us is recalling thousands of art sets made in China due to excessive levels of lead in some black watercolor paints.
Wayne-based Toys "R" Us Inc. and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall Thursday, saying printed ink on the packaging of the Imaginarium Wooden Coloring Cases also contained lead. They said no injuries have been reported.
"Toys "R" Us has terminated its relationship with Funtastic, effective immediately," the company said in a statement.
Toys "R" Us bought the sets from Funtastic, a unit of a Hong Kong distribution company called FPL Group. They are manufactured by a company in Ningbo, China, called Danxiang International Trading.
The 213-item set contains crayons, pastels, colored pencils, fiber pens, water colors, a palette and other art supplies in a wooden carrying case.
Childhood exposure to lead can lead to reduced intelligence, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder, research has shown.
Earlier this month, Toys "R" Us removed about 160,000 vinyl baby bibs from its Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us stores, as well as its warehouses, as a precaution after two bibs made in China for one supplier showed lead levels that exceeded company standards.
Toys "R" Us sold about 8,300 of the art kits nationwide from October 2006 through this month. The company said it had bought about 27,000 total.
The wooden art set passed a safety test as recently as April 2007, but failed a recent retest, according to the company.
"Toys "R" Us will continue to hold all manufacturers accountable for meeting our safety standards and will take immediate and decisive action on any items we consider remotely questionable from a safety perspective," the company said.
Consumers are advised to immediately return the sets to the nearest "Toys "R" Us for store credit, or call 800-869-7787.
The privately held retailer operates more than 1,500 stores worldwide.
Mattel Inc. recalled 19 million Chinese-made toys in July, including dolls, cars and action figures. Some of those items were contaminated with lead paint.
On the Net: toysrus.com
Consumer Product Safety Commission: cpsc.gov
biz.yahoo.com |
