About 15,000 Nature Wonders HD Pinto Horse Toy Figures, which were imported by Blip Toys, of Minneapolis, Minnesota have been recalled, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced. The surface paint coating on the horse contains <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/lead_paint_poisoning">excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. To date, not incidents or injuries have been reported.
This recall involves the Nature Wonders HD pinto horse toy figures, which were manufactured in China, with model number 92093. The plastic horse is white with brown spots and measures about 4 inches tall. The model number and “Nature Wonders HD†are printed on the retail tag wrapped around the horse’s leg. According to the CPSC, the recalled Nature Wonders HD Pinto Horse Toy Figures were sold by Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2009 through July 2009 for about $4.
Of note, lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects. In children and fetuses, lead exposure can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, can damage the nervous system. Experts agree that there is no safe level of lead.
Lead poisoning is considered the greatest environmental health threat to children under the age of six. Poisoning occurs from swallowing lead, for instance from consuming lead paint chips; lead poisoning also occurs from breathing lead paint dust. Even small amounts of chipped lead paint or lead dust can be dangerous to children. Most noteworthy, children under the age of six face these great risks because their growing bodies absorb lead more easily than adult bodies do.
We have long written about the dangers from lead poisoning and have also long stressed that, once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune, particularly the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond. Most recently we wrote that a study recently
revealed that childhood exposure to lead can lead to permanent brain damage.
The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Blip Toys to receive a free replacement toy. Blip Toys can be reached toll-free at 1-888-405-7696 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, or at the firm’s Web site at www.bliptoys.com/recall
Meanwhile, imports from China have been making headlines in recent years; this recall is just one more of many other such issues on which we have been writing regarding this problem. In 2008, nearly 80 percent of all product recalls in the United States involved imports from China and involved products such as dog food, baby formula, toys with lead paint, and even pharmaceuticals like heparin that were found to be made with toxic materials and other counterfeit ingredients that have long been putting United States consumers at significant risk. Now, the ongoing Chinese drywall disaster involving imports from that country has been making headlines.
