Soldier Bear Toys

To be honest I ignored these in my email yesterday, that and the Christmas candles that were recalled due to fire hazard this morning ( um DUH?) but I looked at the "Soldier Bear" toys name, thought they were literally soldiers and thought oh, no one I know would have soldiers, nevermind. Then I went and looked over all the recalls this evening, and well, crap, someone might have these.

Toy Description	Style	UPC
Wooden Pull-Along Learning Blocks Wagon (alphabet blocks in a wooden wagon)	6320	834162002158
Time Teacher (magnetic shapes & clock in pull cart)	6231	834162002646
Wooden Riding Horse	6349	834162003698
Vehicle Playset (blue military vehicle with action figures	1007	4895130810072

Come on, I KNOW you all have the Military/Guerilla warfare playset above, you just don't want to admit it. Better return it.

Fisher Price _ _ _ _ S My Angora Goat

You can fill in the blank, go on, be creative! I can think of 2 words that fit...

(Told you I was going to blog this Erin!)

So this morning, whilst having my second or third cup of coffee, my friend Erin pings me on Messenger asking about the Fisher Price Medical Set that Consumers Reports tested and declared lead infested, cause she had picked one up for Christmas. Good enough, I go back thru my archives (remind me to start tagging posts so they can be found), send her the link to the page.

She pings me later while on the phone with Fisher Price. She is asking about the recall that was done in ONLY Illinois. The woman on the phone said:

" it's ok because it was an independant study done in Illinois and it's only unacceptable to them "

Then Erin proceeds to tell them that its um, unacceptable to HER as well! So Fisher Price is now sending her a lead free medical kit. Which, for future information and I didn't know this, only just happens to be a different color. Its obviously the one color they are having issues with.

I guess too, the woman just sounded incredibly unconcerned about it, so this obviously is the line that they are feeding people when they call about this. That was your best PR attempt Fisher Price? Its OK because our standards are LOWER?

Um. Yah. I think I just wholeheartedly added them to my boycott list. The amount of lead in that toy set is ONLY unacceptable to Illinois, who have actually, for children's safety, PULLED it off their shelves.

So for all of us who don't live in Illinois, we have to live with lower standards. Oh, unless you CALL Fisher Price and tell them that you find it otherwise. Then you get a replacement.

Un-fucking-believable.

Link to the original article HERE

Now There's Even More Ways For Your Child to Ingest Lead!

Kids Jewelry

Description: This recall involves the Codeena Princess children’s jewelry. Only jewelry with item numbers KS1367SS and KS1369SCP are included in the recall. The item number is printed on the back of the packaging. The children’s jewelry sets were sold in a variety of sets including pink or white pearl-like necklace, bracelet and earring or ring combinations. Some sets have studded charms dangling on the bracelet and the necklace.

Sold at: Discount stores nationwide from September 2005 through August 2007 for about $5.

Lion Teether
Hazard: The plastic nose can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: Infantino® has received eight reports of the nose detaching, including one report of a child gagging on the bitten off nose.

Description: This recall involves Infantino® lion teethers. The yellow and orange plastic teethers have date codes 6116, 6129, 6158, 6137, 0606, 0806, 0906, and 1006. The date codes are located on the back of the lion’s head, above the Infantino® logo. Lion teethers with other date codes are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Babies “R” Us, Pottery Barn Kids and other specialty stores nationwide from June 2006 through December 2007 for about $5.

Dollar Store Toys...

Hazard: The recalled toys contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The Baby Bead & Wire Toys are colored wires and colored beads that can slide on a natural wood platform. These bead toys have item number 903419 and date code 71 printed on the back of the packaging. The Speed Racer Pull Back & Go Action! Cars are yellow with black stripes and white with red stripes. Item number 873820 and date code 77 is printed on the back of the packaging.

Sold at: Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks, Only One $1 and Deal$ stores nationwide from March 2007 through October 2007 (Baby Bead & Wire Toys) and from September 2007 through November 2007 (Speed Racer Cars) for $1.

From US Consumer Product Comission

I know my titles are sarcastic, but really, at this point I am not shocked. I just hope that nobody has these toys... and you can subscribe by email to the above site as well. Nothing like your recalls with your morning cup o' coffee to start your day!

More Lead....

I have too much time on my hands lately. All The Princess wants to do is nurse Alllllll freaking day, so here I sit.

Anyhow this article depressed me, here's part of it:

The red blood pressure cuff is part of the Fisher-Price Medical Kit, a classic toy that has been sold for several years. We found high lead levels embedded in the red plastic arm band as well as on the surface of the arm band, which we determined could easily rub off on the hands of a child playing with the toy. Based on the levels of accessible surface lead we measured, we estimated that a child could potentially receive a dose of more than 15 micrograms of lead per day through foreseeable hand-to-mouth contact while playing with the toy. That amount could potentially increase a child's risk of accumulating a blood lead level that exceeds 10 micrograms per deciliter—the threshold established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that generally triggers some form of intervention by doctors or public health officials.

Although we discussed our test results with Fisher-Price and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), neither took immediate action. Fisher-Price contends that the toy "is fully compliant" with all federal regulations, which CPSC confirms. But the federal regulation for lead in toys places limits on only paint and surface coatings. There are no federal limits on lead in plastics such as PVC. That’s a huge gap in the regulations that can leave children at risk for lead exposure. Congress is currently working on federal legislation that will close the gap and, if passed, will regulate lead in all children's products. Consumers Union has been supporting this effort, (ok, you gotta click on the words "supporting this effort" and go laugh at their video!) which promises to reduce children's risk of lead exposure.

Rest of Article

So some of my children's plastic toys, (besides whatever freaking Bisphenol A (BPA), might be in them, don't get me started on that), now have unregulated lead levels. Are you kidding me? Please tell me that we have better standards in Canada, actually, don't bother, cause all these toys are coming here anyways.

This site is interesting Public Interest Research Group .

I need to get The Princess watching TV or something, I am THIS close to retreating to my own commune with angora goats and sheep for clothes, a couple packets of organic seeds, dig a well and build a big effing compound fence.

I will not read anymore today...I will not look anymore today.....I am going to watch Dora in her lead-paint empire of splendor.

What Was That You Lead? I Mean Said???

Yah, another lead recall. Which we have in the house and used with Mr K to potty train him. I take some consolation in the fact that he hated it LOL and we used it as a step stool with the lead part hidden. Still. I mean, its a POTTY. I can't even have a potty without lead in it?

I'll send away for my stupid permanent clear protective cover and see what it is. I am curious what *CHEAP* measure they have come up with. A cover to cover it and not a recall of the whole item....let's see how that pans out.....

Recall info here



Edited to add: Alright so I ordered my plastic piece. Shipping time is 8-10 weeks. EIGHT TO TEN WEEKS!! Do they even comprehend what that is to a potty training mom? That's not the usual 4-6 mailing weeks, thats almost DOUBLE! How many moms are going to have to go and buy another potty, because odds are that if you are serious about that plastic piece (not me, I just wanna get a look at this shitty plastic solution so I can be even more disgusted at the company) you are in the middle of USING the damn thing!! Right....cause ANY mom who is in the middle of successful training is just going to stop dead and wait 10 weeks.