Lead Poisoning Hazard Prompts Recall of Fun Express Children's Toys Given Away at Libraries

August 17, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Bendable Dog and Cat Toys

Units: About 340,000 toys

Distributor: Fun Express Inc., a subsidiary of Oriental Trading Company Inc., of Omaha, Neb.

Hazard: The paint on the bendable toys contains excessive levels of lead, which is banned under federal law. Lead is toxic and if ingested by young children can cause adverse health effects.

Incidents/Injuries: No incidents or injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled toy is made of bendable plastic and is in the shape of a brown dog with black ears, paws and feet, a Dalmatian dog with pink paws, a white dog with orange spots, a brown dog with pink paws, a white cat with orange stripes, a brown cat with pink paws, a black cat with pink ears and a white cat with brown spots. The toys are about 3.75 inches tall. The toy's packaging is labeled as item 39/1461-K and 39/1461-KM.

Provided through: This toy was a free giveaway by libraries nationwide as part of reading programs from January 2006 through August 2006.

Manufactured In: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and discard them.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Fun Express Inc. at (800) 723-6155 anytime, or visit the firm's Web site at www.funexpress.com.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.