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Maryland Stores Stop Selling Toys With Lead Paint

Businesses try to sell off potentially tainted items

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

January 16, 2008

• Mattel Settles Suits Over Dangerous Toys • Target To Pay $600,000 For Violating Lead Paint Ban • Tougher Safety Requirements For Children's Products Now In Effect • Toys 'R' Us Launches Unsafe Baby Products Awareness Program • New Safety Agency Chief Pledges Greater Openness • Obama Names New Consumer Product Safety Chair, Boosts Budget • Toymaker Fined $1.1 Million For Consumer Violations • Maryland Stores Stop Selling Toys With Lead Paint • Toymakers, Craftspeople Up In Arms Over New Safety Law • Thrift Stores Protest Ban on Lead Toys • Target Launches In-Store Recall System • Do's and Don'ts of Holiday Decorating • New Jersey Finds Recalled Toys in Four Stores • Mattel Agrees to Lower Lead Paint Levels in Toys • Consumers Cautioned About Dangerous Toys • Soon-To-Be-Banned Plastic Toys Flooding the Market • Safety Agency Warns of Safety Hazards in Cribs --- • More Consumer Safety News • Recall Notices

A new law takes effect next month outlawing the sale of toys with high levels of lead paint, but some stores are taking advantage of the delay to try and move some merchandise while they still can.

In Maryland, an investigation by Attorney General Douglas Gansler's office found that some Big Lots Stores, and Dollar General stores were still selling toys with excessive levels of the dangerous paint. Gansler said both companies have agreed to stop.

The investigation found that Elmo's Take-Along Card Games bag, sold by both chains, contained excessive levels of lead paint. The retailers have also agreed to accept returns of the product.

After testing on the bags by the Maryland Department of the Environment, Gansler sent a letter to Big Lots and Dollar General requesting that the stores stop selling the game bags. Both companies immediately agreed to end the sale of the products in their Maryland stores.

"I am pleased that Big Lots and Dollar General have agreed to remove these potentially dangerous products from their store shelves," said Gansler. "I encourage any consumers who purchased these game bags to stop using them and to return them to the store where they were purchased."

Big Lots and Dollar General have agreed to accept returns and provide refunds to consumers who purchased the game bags at their Maryland stores. The retailers have also agreed to place posters in their local stores informing consumers that the products were found to contain lead and they can be returned at Big Lots and Dollar General stores in Maryland.

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