U.S. Sues Lawn Darts Company; Says Darts are Hazardous

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has sued Lawn Dart Parts, demanding that it stop selling its products in stores and on the Internet. The suit, filed in federal district court in St.. Louis, notes that lawn darts are banned by federal law because of the dangers they pose to children and seeks an injunction banning further sales by the company.

Lawn Darts Parts LLC is a Pevely, MO, company owned by Steve King and, according to the lawsuit, operates several websites, including www.lawndartparts.com, www.tossinggames.com, www.stevenking.biz, and www.missourimarketplace.net/jartparts.

Lawn darts are a hazardous substance under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act because they pose an “unreasonable risk of injury to children” and, as such, their sale is prohibited by the Consumer Product Safety Act, the complaint alleges.

The lawn darts, which are simple darts with elonated tips, are designed so that when they are thrown into the air, they contact the ground tip-first.

The suit notes there have been “numerous injuries ranging from lacerations and bruises to severe brain damage, as well as three known deaths of children associated with the use of lawn darts .”

They have been banned since at least 1970; in 1988, the CPSC removed an exemption that had allowed the sale of lawn darts which were labeled for use by adults only.

The CPSC said it became aware of King's operation in February 2009 when an investigator visited two of his websites. Posing as a customer, the investigator ordered a set of lawn darts for $100 via email and was contacted by someone identified as “Steve,” who instructed the investigator to pay via PayPal.

The lawn darts were sent and arrived at the Michigan address used by the investigator on March 20, 2009. The package included four lawn darts, four plastic rings and six plastic fins. The items were packaged in what appeared to be original product packaging and stated "Regent Jarts . . . An Outdoor Skill Game for Adults."

The investigator then ordered an additional set of lawn darts for $218. The package arrived on November 15, 2009.

The package included four metal shafts, two plastic red fins, two plastic blue fins, and two plastic yellow rings. Also delivered is what appears to be original product packaging stating “Jarts Missle Game. The Most Exciting Outdoor Game Today. Jarts Company, Fort Edward, New York.” Finally, the package included a business card for the web site “www.TossingGames.com” with the name “Mr. Steve King, Owner and Webmaster” printed on it.