Consumer Help Web warned consumers about lead in a child's bracelet nearly two years ago. One of the earliest very public recalls linked to products produced in China, toxic levels of lead in the bracelet were linked to a child's death. The bracelets were sold for two years at a price between $33 and $50.
Now the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced that Reebook will pay a record $1 million penalty related to the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA).
As part of the settlement, Reebok denied any wrongdoing or violating federal law despite the company's recall of 300,00 of the bracelets that the consumer watchdog group claimed had too much lead.
After the US Department of Agriculture's surprise beef recall in February, we wrote about Consumer Help Web's disapproval of the process. On February 18, we chastised the federal agency, pointing out that "consumers have no way of knowing if tainted beef is in their freezer."
To make matters worse, USDA officials have told a Congressional committee that they are not allowed to nor do they intend to disclose the names of food distributors who may have received tainted meat products from Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company.
This position did not sit well with Congressional leaders, especially after a USDA spokesperson referred to the information as "proprietary". We join our voice with Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), who candidly told USDA officials that information regarding safety hazards American consumers face are not "proprietary".
We understand the need for rules to help protect the interests of businesses and their employees (who are also consumers) when a company is under investigation. But three weeks after a so-called "recall", consumers still can't identify the products. We find that inexcusable.
The United States Department of Agriculture ratcheted up the heat on consumer safety issues by issuing a recall of 143 million pounds of beef from Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. That organization supplies food distributors, including federal food programs, with ground beef.
As with many recalls, this one seems more about the timing than consumer safety. The USDA dumped this news on the American public during the Sunday of a 3 day holiday weekend. The agency conceded by Monday that "most" of the meat had likely already been eaten and that the meat company had voluntarily ceased operations on February 1.
Consumers don't need a sundial to know that this issue was news at least 16 days ago, and one therefore becomes concerned about the timing and any potential motivation.
Perhaps the worst part of this scare headline is that consumers have no way of knowing if tainted beef is in their freezer. We don't understand why the scare headlines were pushed out more than two weeks after the plant's closure and before a way of identifying retail purchases existed. What we do know is this that is a great tactic that buys everyone some time but still beats the wardrums of consumer safety.
Except in this case, consumers can do nothing to ensure their safety, if a threat even exists, because they can't identify any potentially contaminated food.
When news is made for the apparent sake of making news, one wonders about motivation. Wouldn't an announcement when the company voluntarily ceased operating almost three weeks ago have been appropriate? That's almost a month's worth of possible consumption allowed to go by when the company and the government knew there were potential safety issues.
We'll be addressing the issues surrounding the CPSC and Congressional attempts to legislate safety that seem oddly akin to the economic stimulus package, but for now, we'll just skip the burger for a turkey burger and wait to hear the all clear sign.
By our reckoning, that should be in May, just in time for a nice Memorial Day barbeque.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says that HSN will pay an $875,000 fine for failing to report safety issues regarding its sale of The Welbilt Electronic Pressure Cooker (pictured left)
HSN, which was known as Home Shopping Network during the 2001 to 2004 time period in which the government agency said the offenses occurred, denied any wrongdoing or liability. The law requires manufacturers and distributors to immediately report safety issues.
The company's actions were termed a penalty, rather than a fine, but the results are simple semantics. The CPSC claims that the company received more than two dozen reports of consumers who were burned when the cooker's lid allegedly opened prematurely. The agency worked with Welbilt and HSN in 2005 to recall nearly 4,000 units in 2005. Those cookers were made in Korea.
"This simply shows that even a small recall can have major repercussions," said Consumer Help Web's George Bounacos. "We have been trained to think in terms of millions or hundreds of thousands, but in this case, the reported injury rate was more than 1 out of every 170."
Bounacos' comments came during his announcement of a new recall information portal for consumers. "Too many agencies announce recalls and investigations for the average consumer to learn about them all. Even when stores do comply, the second-hand market for used goods thrives, from eBay to consignment shops. RecallRecap.com will help consumers quickly check for free whether the product they're interested in was recalled, and if so, for what reason."
Food giant Cargill has recalled one million pounds of ground beef that was shipped to 10 states, mostly in the East. The company says that the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported a positive reading for E. coli contamination in meat processed October 8. The company also says no illnesses have been linked to the meat, but after the painful lesson from Topps this fall, wasted no time in recalling the meat.
The affected states are in the East, but who knows how food can travel? Better to be safe than sorry. The link above lists the ground beef recalled by brand names. The meat was sold at multiple stores including Giant, Giant Eagle and Wegmans throughout the East.
Consumers with questions about the recall should call Cargill at 1-877-455-103
This is why the federal government either needs better, faster regulatory and investigative resources or some sense of urgency. The public knew that this was an issue days ago. The medical community apparently knew months, if not years, ago. Even the companies that made the over-the-counter meds specifically for kids yanked them off the shelves before the hearings.
If an organization the size of McNeil (makers of Tylenol, St. Joseph Aspirin, Mylanta and others) can mobilize to pull medicine from retail shelves all over the country, why does it take a much smaller organization one week to pull together hearings? Why weren't there hearings the next day? What about the weekend? We work weekends sometimes. Do you? Why doesn't the FDA?
And if they do, where is the sense of urgency? We are happy to recognize the makers of the OTC medicines for children for acting fast while still wondering what they knew about this issue going into the fall of 2007. The FDA alone is not culpable. The USDA botched their recall of the tainted pot pies just weeks ago when everyone from the manufacturer to the CDC to the retailers yanked the food from the shelves.
Federal government must act faster. This is why Federal Express is used rather than the USPS when it absolutely positively has to be there overnight. This is why passport regulations are enacted and then lifted when family vacations and critical business trips were destroyed. No organization is perfect, but most private sector companies have some sort of disaster or crisis contingency plan. Our government is charged with many things and does well with some of them. Where they continue missing in the Year of the Recall is speed to take action.
Consumer safety continues to get short shrift, and that cannot continue.
Toshiba Recalls Portable DVD Power Supplies, Starbucks Pulls Kid Cups
First batteries, now power supplies. As we grow into a more wired society, those electronic components can be dangerous.
Toshiba (OTC:TOSBF) is recallingmore than 140,000 power supplies sold with its portable DVD player. The company says no consumers have injured but they have reports about two units overheating. his recall involves the AC adapter sold with the Toshiba portable DVD player Model SD-P1600. Toshiba and ADPV16 can be found on the side of the adapter. Toshiba, Model SD-P1600, and the serial number can be found on a rating label on the bottom of the cabinet for the DVD player. One guess to name the Asian country where these were made.
The electronics giant is telling consumers to contact them and stop using the unit. Call Toshiba Customer Solutions toll-free at (877) 290-6064 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday for more information.
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More electronics recalls hit Home Depot (NYSE:HD). If you shopped there this summer for fluorescent light fixtures sold under the Lithonia name, you need to see if you have a bum product.
This recall involves the Lithonia Lighting Nickel End Wrap fluorescent ceiling light fixtures model number New 2 32 120 RE BN and date code N050807. Lithonia Lighting, the model number, and the date code can be found on the shipping box or on a label located inside the fixture, next to the fluorescent tube. To read the label on the fixture, consumers should turn the power off at the home's circuit breaker and remove the plastic cover of the light fixture. Light fixtures sold in a box marked with a round pink sticker are not included in this recall.
Home Depot is offering a full refund or exchange if you bring the unit back to them. If you don't know what you're doing and someone else installed this, please call an electrician!
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Aren't these cups cute? We thought so too. . But coffee retailer Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) has received 7 reports of the cup breaking and creating the potential to choke a small child. Starbucks also said they had received two such instances. Bring the cup back to the store, and Starbucks says they will provide a full refund and a free beverage (which may be more than the refund!). Need more info? Call Starbucks at (888) 288-4008 anytime.
Christmas Tree Shops is recalling nearly 10,000 candles that can cause a fire. A glitter decoration outside the candle is the culprit. The company says that consumers should stop using the candles and return them to the store for a refund. For more questions, call Christmas Tree Shops toll-free at (888) 287-3232 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Be careful with these candles. They were sold during the 2006 holiday season, and you may have packed them away for this year.
Just as we were set to warn consumers about a mid-sized food recall, Topps Meat Company today announced that their ground beef recall has affected millions of pounds of the food.
According to the company and federal government, more than 21 million pounds of ground beef are at risk for carrying a bad form of E. coli, a disease that impacts many but can cause death in children, the elderly or those with other health problems.
This ground beef already bears a U.S. Department of Agriculture brand. Do not eat this food.
The USDA division charged with monitoring this food said today that they are investigating more than two dozen illnesses in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The frozen meat was produced on various dates between Sept. 25, 2006, and Sept. 25, 2007. The food was throughout the NY area and then to states throughout the East and Midwest. Each package bears the establishment number “Est. 9748” inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a sell-by date between “SEP 25 07” and “SEP 25 08.”
Brand names include Topps, West Side, Shop Rite and Roma among others.
Call toll-free to 888-734-0451 with questions about the recall.
If you have an infant or know anyone who does, you must pass this information along today. Read this short piece, and get busy. Email it to your friends, and tell them to email their friends.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission and a large crib manufacturer have issued an immediate recall of 1 million cribs. Three children have died.
The cribs have the name Aspen and Graco.
The Aspen crib models are: Aspen 3 in 1, Aspen 4 in 1, Nursery-In-A-Box, Crib N Changer Combo, Chelsea and Pooh 4 in 1.
The Graco crib models are: Ultra 3 in 1, Ultra 4 in 1, Ultra 5 in 1, Whitney and the Trio.
More model numbers are found on the envelope attached to the mattress or on the label on the crib's headboard. The model numbers are 4600, 4605, 4705, 5000, 8000, 8324, 8800, 8740, 8910, 8994, 8050, 8750, 8760 and 8896.
Call the manufacturer now at 888-593-9274 if you own one of these cribs.
We never condone sp@m or unsolicited email. Today we're asking you to write everyone in your address book. Send them to this story, and we'll also point them to the great non-profit KidsInDanger.org. Their press release about the recall is in a free PDF file here.
As consumer advocates, we'll work with others to deal with recriminations and blame later. Today, we make the children safe. Consumer Help Web is waiving its $29.99 fee for any person who owns one of these cribs and can not get satisfaction. Complete our order form so we have the details, and skip the payment page. Those are being redirected to a special mailbox, and we will call you if you need help, but call the manufacturer first. They will be responsive. Let us know if they are not, and we will help you for free.
Fresh veggies can't catch a break. Bagged salad mixes are back in the news after food giant Dole said that bagged salad green mixes available in the United States and Canada showed signs of E. coli contamination.
The company said that about 5,000 bags of its "Heart's Delight" salad mix was potentially at risk. The product was sold in 3 Canadian provinces and Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,and Tennessee. The Canadian government has cautioned its citizens about eating the potentially tainted food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in talks with the company to determine a course of action.
The "Hearts Delight" mix that is affected has a "best if used by" date of September 19. In a written statement, Dole asked consumers not to eat the product and reminded them that produce should not be eaten beyond the "best date"; in other words, tomorrow.
More information is available from Dole at toll-free at 800-356-3111.
Another month, another Mattel recall. And what a surprise. This one also has addresses safety issues with toys manufactured in China.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said that that Mattel claimed no reports of injuries had occurred, but that parents and caregivers should immediately take the toys from children and contact Mattel for a replacement. The company has set up a toll-free hotline staffed around the clock at (888) 496-8330.
As the eBay season ramps up again, parents are especially cautioned to beware of toys being auctioned. A Forbes report claimed that the business magazine had found recalled toys for sale without warnings on the popular auction site.
The toys affected by this recall are shown below.
Product
Product Number
Date Code Number
Product Photo
Barbie® Dream Puppy House™ (lead paint on dog)
J9485
286-6JX through 365-6JX or 001-7JX through 232-7JX
(product number and date code are marked on the bottom of the house)
Barbie® Dream Kitty Condo™ Playset (lead paint on cat)
J9486
286-6JX through 365-6JX or 001-7JX through 232-7JX
(product number and date code are marked on the bottom of the house)
Barbie® Table and Chairs Kitchen Playset (lead paint on dog, chip platter, dinner plates)
K8606
All
(product number is marked under the table)
Barbie® Bathtub and Toilet Playset (lead point on cat)
K8607
All
(product number is marked under the tub)
Barbie® Futon and Table Living Room Playset (lead paint on cat)
K8608
All
(product number is marked on the cushion label)
Barbie® Desk and Chair Bedroom Playset (lead paint on dog)
K8609
All
(product number is marked under the desk)
Barbie® Couch & Table Living Room Playset (lead paint on purse)
Gerber Legendary Blades is recalling 154,000 knives made in...wait for it....China.
The company, a division of scissors maker Fiskars that is not affiliated with the baby food company, says that its Exchange-A-Blade pocket knives have a manufacturing defect. The back of the blade can slide past the support, according to the company, and cut a consumer. Gerber reported that the company was aware of eight such incidents, including several where the consumer needed medical attention and stitches.
The recall involves Gerber EAB Pocket Knives, model numbers 22-41548, 22-41548CDIP, 22-01548W and 22-41548W. Consumer should stop using the knife immediately and contact Gerber for a new knife. Calls are toll free at (877) 204-5510 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.
Full page, color ads in major newspapers are showing up regarding the GE dishwasher recall. We reported on the details months ago when they became public, but there is apparently still not enough compliance.
Please do not use affected dishwashers until they are repaired or replaced. The details of the machines are in the link above and cover brand names Kenmore and Hotpoint, in addition to GE. The company is offering a free repair or a rebate amount of varying amounts on a new purchase. All of the affected units are more than five years old.
Consumers need to know that using the dishwasher with a liquid rinse can cause an electrical short-circuit, overheating and even fire.
On the heels of a huge recall of Thomas Railroad toys thought to contain lead-based paint, toy giant Fisher-Price is recalling nearly a million units for the same reason.
The New York based company said it had not received reports of injuries, but a chance existed that excessive lead based paint was used for toys based on popular children's characters. Those characters are from series such as Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, and Sponge Bob Squarepants among others.
The recalled involves various figures and toys that were manufactured between April 19, 2007 and July 6, 2007 and were sold alone or as part of sets. The model names and product numbers for the recalled toys, which are all marked with “Fisher-Price,” are listed below. The toys may have a date code between 109-7LF and 187-7LF marked on the product or packaging.
The toymaker also issued a large recall earlier this year for its "Little People Animal Sounds Farm". That toy had a loose fastener that injured at least one child that resulted in surgery. As part of that recall, Fisher-Price agreed to pay a civil penalty of nearly one million dollars. Another choking hazard in a Fisher-Price toy was also found earlier this year when 500,000 "Laugh and Learn Bunny Toys" were recalled. The recalls follow a relatively quiet 2006 that was marred only by a recall of 600,000 musical toy chairs that the Consumer Product Safety Commission said could trap a small child and lead to strangulation.
Fisher-Price is a unit of Mattel and conceded that the affected toys were made in China. The company instructed parents and caregivers to take the affected toys away from children immediately. Fisher-Price will issue a voucher for a replacement toy. Consumers can call toll-free (800) 916-4498 anytime for more information.
A recal that has nothing to do with China is newsworthy in and of itself, but this important recall focuses on baby food.
Gerber, now part of Nestle after being sold by huge European conglomerate Novartis, is recalling a half million units of baby food. The company said its oatmeal and rice products may not properly dissolve in water or milk and could pose a choking hazard by "clumping".
The company has recalled pacifiers, rattles and bottles this summer.
More than a million toys based on a popular kid series have been recalled after the company and Consumer Product Safety Commission determined that the exteriors were decorated with lead-based paint.
RC2 Corporation reported no children were injured after playing with the toys made in China. The company said the recall could cost up to $8 million and pledged to implement strict quality control measures.
The recall involves wooden vehicles, buildings and other train set components for young children listed in the chart below. The front of the packaging has the logo “Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway” on the upper left-hand corner. A manufacturing code may be located on the bottom of the product or inside the battery cover. Toys marked with codes containing “WJ” or “AZ” are not included in this recall.
Consumers who have one of the affected toys can call RC2 toll-free at (866) 725-4407 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Thursday and between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. CT Friday.
Lasko, a ceramic heater manufacturer, has recalled more than one million units after it disclosed to the government that the heater's electric cord can overheat and cause a fire.
The company said that it had received 28 reports of failed power cords and several reports of "minor property damage", but no consumers have been injured.
The heaters involved in this recall were all manufactured in 2005. Model numbers included in the recall are: 5132, 5345, 5362, 5364, 5420, 5532, 5534 and 5566. Model numbers are located on the bottom of the unit or at the rear of the base of the heaters.
Stop using the heater and contact Lasko toll-fee at 800-984-3311 with questions.
Following on the heels of its May recall of glassware, Pier 1 Imports is recalling more glassware. The retailer and the United States Consumer Product Safety Safety Commission say its Blue/Green Dual Glassware can unexpectedly break. The company said that it had received 21 reports of injures and broadened the recall as a result.
Consumers can return the glassware to the nearest retail location or call toll-free (800) 245-4595.
This is the second major recall for Pier 1 in less than a year. In fall 2006, the company recalled several thousand television stands after it said it learned of the death of a Canadian child who apparently was hit by a television that fell from one of the stands.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today confirmed that a strain of Salmonella Wandsworth bacteria found in Veggie Booty snack food is responsible for the disease outbreak that occurred between March and June 2007.
Veggie Booty is marketed by Robert’s American Gourmet, of Sea Cliff, N.Y.
FDA continues to advise consumers not to eat any Veggie Booty and to throw away product they have. FDA also advises consumers not to eat Super Veggie Tings Crunchy Corn Sticks, and to throw out any supplies they have, because this product also may be contaminated.
No illnesses have been associated with any other Robert's American Gourmet products.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 60 children from 19 states who have become ill. Six children were hospitalized. There are no reported deaths. States reporting illnesses include: California (seven cases), Colorado (five), Connecticut (two), Georgia (one), Illinois (one), Indiana (one), Massachusetts (four), Minnesota (two), New Hampshire (two), New Jersey (two), New York (15), Oregon (one), Pennsylvania (four), Tennessee (one), Texas (two), Virginia (one), Vermont (three), Washington (four), and Wisconsin (two).
FDA, the States, and CDC are continuing the investigation. Preliminary testing suggests that the seasoning mix used in Veggie Booty may be the source of the contamination.
Veggie Booty is sold in a flexible plastic foil bag in four ounce, one ounce and one-half ounce packages. Some gift baskets available for purchase on the internet include Veggie Booty or Super Veggie Tings Crunchy Corn Sticks.
Robert’s American Gourmet ceased distributing Veggie Booty and began recalling the product on June 28. The company has also voluntarily recalled all lots and sizes of Super Veggie Tings Crunchy Corn Sticks snack food because the same potentially contaminated seasoning may have been used in making that product, too. In addition, the manufacturer of Veggie Booty and other products for Robert’s has ceased production until this investigation is complete.
Officials, retailers and manufacturer's reps continue to acknowledge that counterfeit versions of Colgate toothpaste continue to be found on North American retail shelves.
The company's officials say that consumers should be on the lookout for misspelled words on the labeling, as well as the area of origin. The counterfeit toothpaste comes from South Africa, rather than labeled as coming from New York, the company official said.
Officials appear to be battling two issues: bacteria in some toothpaste that apparently originated in Africa and the presence of a poisonous chemical in other toothpaste that has been found in several states, including Virginia and Michigan.
The FDA is cautioning all consumers to read the labeling carefully. Colgate-Palmolive has published an image of what properly labeled toothpaste should look like. The company also said consumers could identify safe toothpaste in these ways:
* The words “Distr. by Colgate-Palmolive, New York, NY 10022” appear in the lower right-hand corner of a panel on the box. * In the white box that contains the UPC bar code, genuine Colgate products for sale in the U.S. begin with the code number 35000.
Safety will take some vigilance, but there appears to be no reason for consumers who use Colgate to stop doing so provided they take proper precautions
Consumer Help Web warned consumers about lead in a child's bracelet nearly two years ago. One of the earliest very public recalls linked to products produced in China, toxic levels of lead in the bracelet were linked to a child's death. The bracelets were sold for two years at a price between $33 and $50.
