Recalls in January 1970

July 9, 2009
American Greetings Corp. is recalling about 92,000 sport balls sold in the U.S. and Canada because they violate the federal lead paint standard.

This recall involves DesignWare Sport Balls party favors. The package contains four mini sport balls: a basketball, a football, a baseball and a soccer ball. The model number is SPBL 1821 and is printed on the packaging.

The balls, made in China, were sold at various retailers in the U.S. and Canada from August 2004 through April 2009 for about $3.50.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled sport balls away from children and contact American Greetings to receive a coupon for a replacement product.

For additional information, contact American Greetings at (800) 777-4891 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firms Web site at www.ag.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

July 7, 2009
Robertstjohn.com has initiated a voluntary recall of its Rich, Rich, Rich Hot Chocolate Mix, after learning equipment used at a suppliers facility may have been contaminated with Salmonella.

Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Plainview, Minnesota supplier, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative announced it had voluntarily recalled its instant non-fat dried milk and whey protein because of potential salmonella bacteria contaminations. This milk product was used in the manufacturing of the hot chocolate mix.

The Robert St.John product under recall is packaged in 13 ounce plastic bags with the lot #20494 printed on the bag. The bag is packaged inside a metal tin can. Approximately 560 tin cans of the mix were sold to stores in Mississippi between November 18, 2008 and December 20, 2008. The stores have been notified and the product has been removed from their shelves.

This Robert St. John brand product has not been identified as contaminated or linked to any illness. The removal of product from store shelves is precautionary in nature and has been done to protect safety of the companys customers.

Consumers who have purchased Rich, Rich, Rich Hot Chocolate Mix should not consume it. They should contact robertstjohn.com for a refund. Consumers with questions may contact robertstjohn.com customer service at 888-315-6774.

March 25, 2009
Zebco is recalling about 2,700 children's fishing rod and reel sets. The paint on the reels contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

This recall involves Zebco Advanced Youth Fishing Rod & Reel combo sets. The reels are painted orange and have the words Zebco and ZAVS 10 on the reel handle. Only spinning reels are involved in this recall.

The sets, made in China, were sold at discount department and sporting good stores nationwide from August 2007 through December 2008 for about $35.

Consumers should immediately take the fishing poles from children and contact Zebco for information on receiving a receiving a refund.

For additional information, contact Zebco at (800) 588-9030 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firms Web site at www.zebco.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

May 25, 2009
General Motors is recalling about 35,000 Pontiac G8s from the 2008 and 2009 model years.

The company said the brake pedal position switch may have been incorrectly programmed, which could cause the brake lights to remain illuminated, thus failing to warn following drivers that the vehicle is braking.

Some vehicles may also have incorrect values programmed into the tire pressure monitoring system and could fail to warn drivers of low tire pressure.

Dealers will reprogram the brake position sensor and check the tire pressure monitoring system when the recall begins in June.

Owners may contact Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 about GM Recall No. 09101 and 09046.

Consumers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or at www.safercar.gov.

July 23, 2009
Foamorder.com is recalling about 140 Natural Sense Foam Blocks with Cotton Cover (intended to be used as mattresses). They fail to meet the mandatory federal open flame standard for mattresses, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

This recall involves the Natural Sense foam blocks with cotton covers intended to be used as a mattress. The foam block was sold in the following sizes:

• Twin (38"x75")
• Twin Long (38"x80")
• Full (53"x75")
• Full Long (53"x80")
• Queen (60"x80")
• Cal. King (72"x84")
• E. King (76"x80")

Foam mattresses that have a cover with a gold ribbon pattern and a label stating "This mattress meets the requirements of 16 CFR Part 1633 (federal flammability (open flame) standard for mattress sets) when used without a foundation or with foundations" are not included in this recall.

The mattresses, made in the U.S., were sold online at www.foamorder.com from July 2007 through May 2009 for between $225 and $1,420.

Consumers should immediately contact Foamorder.com to determine if their mattress is included in the recall, and if it is, to receive a free additional cover to be placed over their mattress.

For additional information, contact Foamorder.com at 800-256-6162 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm"s Web site at www.foamorder.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

August 6, 2009
Graco is recalling about 2,400 "Jump 'n Jive" doorway jumpers. The jumpers include detachable toys that are attached to the jumper straps with strips of hook and loop fabric. The strips of fabric are not permanently attached to the toys and can become detached during use, posing a choking hazard.

The company has received one report of a child removing the fabric strip and placing it in his mouth. No injuries have been reported.

The recalled doorway jumper includes an interactive musical dance mat and two detachable toys. The model number, 1755544, appears on the carton UPC label and on the underside of the jumper tray. The doorway jumpers were sold from April 2009 through July 2009.

The jumpers, made in China, were sold at Babies R Us and other childrens speciality retail stores nationwide and online from Amazon.com for about $55.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and remove and discard the detachable toys and the attaching fabric strips and call the manufacturer for a replacement set of toys. After the toys and fabric strips are removed, consumers can continue to use the jumper and interactive musical dance mat.

For more information, contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firms Web site at www.gracobaby.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

September 1, 2009
Wal-Mart is expanding its recall of Durabrand DVD players to include another 4.2 million players. On August 20, the company recalled about 1.5 million silver players. The expanded recall includes pink and purple versions of the player.

The DVD players circuit board can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Wal-Mart has received 14 reports of DVD players overheating, seven of which have resulted in fires that caused property damage. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves a single DVD player with a remote control. The device was sold in three colorssilver, pink and purple and has a U-shaped opening at the top to insert the DVD. The DVD players were sold under the following UPC codes and model numbers:

• Silver: UPC 1799901002, Model No. 1002
• Pink: UPC 1799934100, Model No. 1002 PINK
• Purple: UPC 1799932100, Model No. 1002 PUR

The players were sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2006 through July 2009 for about $29. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately stop using the product and return it to the nearest Wal-Mart for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Wal-Mart Stores at (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firms Web site at www.walmartstores.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Feb. 20, 2003

Playnation Play Systems of Kennesaw, Ga., is voluntarily recalling about 1,400 "Fun Buckets," a vinyl bucket attached to a rope used to lift small items up to backyard play sets' forts. As children play on the play set's slide or platform, the 6- to 8-ft free- hanging rope can become entangled around the child's neck. This presents a strangulation hazard to young children.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Playnation is aware of two incidents where the bucket's rope became entangled around the necks of two 4-year-olds. Both of the children were freed without injury. However, CPSC knows of 135 children who have died in the last 10 years from all types of ropes, leashes or jump ropes that were attached to backyard play sets.

This recall involves "Fun Buckets" sold as an add-on option for backyard play sets. The 14-inch-deep buckets are either yellow or green vinyl and have a black nylon strap attached to the rope. The "Fun Bucket" was sold with a heavy wood bracket to attach it to the roof of a play set fort.

Distributors of backyard play sets nationwide sold the fun buckets from February 1998 through February 2003 for about $25.

Consumers should take down the "Fun Buckets" immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund or a credit toward another product. For more information, consumers can contact Playnation at (770) 792-9300 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's web site at www.playset.com.

CPSC warns consumers never to allow free-hanging ropes on play sets because of the serious potential for strangulation to children. Any free-hanging rope should be taken down immediately. Consumers should contact CPSC about any such items purchased from a retailer.

October 27, 2009
Hanover Direct, also known as Domestications, is recalling about 90,000 sets of Roman Shades after a near-strangulation incident.

Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck.

In March 2008, a 2-year-old boy from Ocean View, Delaware climbed up on a toy chest to look out of a window and became entangled in the inner cords of the Roman shade. His parents removed the cord which left a temporary red mark around his neck. No permanent injuries were sustained.

This recall involves all Faux Suede room darkening Roman shades with style number 12810A. The shades were sold in Ivory, Taupe, Gold, Plum, Wine Red, Midnight Blue, Moss Green and Dark Brown and have a head rail that measures 23, 27, 31, 35, 39 43 or 48 inches. The shades have a sticker on the head rail with the letters 'WS' and 'style 12810A' is printed on the packaging box.

The shades, made in China, were sold by Hanover Direct/Domestications via internet at www.domestications.com and through catalog sales nationwide from January 2004 through December 2008 for between $20 and $40.

Consumers should immediately stop using the Roman shades and contact Hanover Direct/Domestications for a free retrofit kit that removes both the operating cords and the exposed inner cords from the shades.

For information, contact Hanover Direct/Domestications toll-free at (800) 524-0597 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET daily, or visit the firm's Web site at www.domestications.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

December 23, 2009
Dollar Tree is recalling about 200,000 Tool Bench utility knives. The utility knifes blade can slide past the blade support during use, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Dollar Tree has received one report of a laceration with the utility knife.

The utility knife is black or gray and measures about 6 inches long and about 1 inches wide. The package includes an extra blade. Tool Bench Utility Knife is printed on the front of the products packaging. 975942, date code 93 and UPC 639277759429 are printed on the back of the packaging.

The knives were sold at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Greenbacks and Deal$ stores nationwide from April 2009 through October 2009 for about $1. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled utility knife and return it to the store where purchased for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Dollar Tree Stores at (800) 876-8077 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firms Web site at www.dollartree.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

August 20, 2009
About 1,300 Pensi ceiling fans are being recalled. The internal coupler that connects the down rod assembly to the motor can break and cause the fan to fall from the ceiling.

The firm received four reports of incidents where the fan fell from the ceiling while operating. No injuries were reported.

The recalled Pensi fans have model numbers beginning with or containing PEN-AA- or PEN-GW- and have an Aluminum/Anthracite or a Gloss White finish.

The fans were sold at Internet retailers, lighting showrooms, fan specialty stores and electrical distributors nationwide from August 2008 through July 2009 for between $400 and $530. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately turn off the power to the fan to stop use and contact The Modern Fan Co. for assistance with model identification and a replacement coupler. Consumers are also advised to not allow anyone underneath the fan. In the event that a fan falls, consumers should immediately turn off the circuit breaker due to the possibility of exposed electrical wires.

For more information, consumers can contact The Modern Fan Co. toll-free at (888) 588-3267 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. Consumers can also visit the company's Web site at www.modernfan.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

September 25, 2003

About 12,000 Eddie Bauer propane lanterns are being recalled. They The lanterns could produce high levels of carbon monoxide (CO), posing a risk of CO poisoning if the lantern is used indoors.

The Eddie Bauer lantern, sold exclusively at Target stores, is ocean blue with two mantles. It has a glass globe, electronic ignition, and an extra-large hood and handle. When assembled, the lantern sits on a plastic base that houses the propane fuel cylinder.

The "Eddie Bauer" name appears on the front of the product on an oval panel immediately below a black on/off switch. The Wenzel Company produces the lantern under license with Eddie Bauer.

The lanterns were sold at Target stores nationwide from February 2003 through July 2003 for between $38 and $50.

Consumers should return these lanterns to any Target store or contact The Wenzel Co. for a refund. Consumers should detach the lantern from the propane cylinder and should return only the lantern itself to the Target store.

Call Wenzel toll-free at (800) 972-3151 anytime, or visit Wenzel's Web site at www.wenzelco.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

June 11, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting patients to the Class I recall of certain Medtronic Kappa and Sigma pacemakers. These devices may fail due to a separation of wires that connect the electronic circuit to other pacemaker components, such as the battery.

Patients with malfunctioning pacemakers may experience a return of symptoms associated with abnormal heart rate, such as fainting or lightheadedness. In rare cases, pacemaker-dependent patients may experience serious injury or even death.

There are more than 1.7 million Kappa or Sigma pacemakers implanted in patients throughout the world. Of those, only about 21,000 pacemakers are affected by this recall, most of which have been implanted in patients for five years or longer.

Medtronic Inc. issued a letter to physicians alerting them to this problem on May 18. The company communicated with patients via letter on May 27.

The affected pacemakers are Kappa Series 600/700/900 and Sigma Series 100/200/300. Patients with these models of Kappa and Sigma pacemakers should determine if their pacemaker is part of this recall by contacting Medtronic at 800-505-4636 or going to their Web site at www.KappaSigmaSNList.medtronic.com.

Patients who have these recalled pacemakers and those who are unsure if their pacemakers are affected should follow up with their primary care physician or cardiologist.

Through standard medical device reporting requirements, the FDA became aware of possible problems and worked with the company to address them. The FDA classified this voluntary recall as Class I, indicating reasonable probability that the use of the device will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

January 13, 2009
TDI International is recalling about 150 pull-back toy cars. Surface paint on the toy cars contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

The recalled pull back toy car is yellow with PROWL printed on the side, VICTOR printed on the hood, and a blue and red police warning light on the top.

The toys were sold by small retail stores in Houston and Hidalgo, Texas from June 2008 through July 2008 for about $2. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact TDI International for a full refund or a replacement toy.

For additional information, contact TDI International toll-free at (877) 834-8088 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

November 18, 2009
Century 21 Promotions is recalling about 17,000 children's hooded sweatshirts and jackets. The sweatshirts have a drawstring through the hood which can pose a strangulation hazard to children, in violation of federal safety regulations.

This recall involves children's sweatshirts and jackets sold in sizes XS ' XXL in colors: navy blue, black, brown, pink, red, white, green, grey, blue, yellow, and orange. The recalled garments contain the following embroidered logos: 'Montauk,' 'Avalon,' 'Stone Harbor,' 'Cape May,' 'Sea Isle,' 'Ocean City,' 'Alaska,' 'Nantucket,' 'Maine,' 'Long Beach Island,' 'Lavallette,' 'Seaside Park,' 'Newport,' 'Monterey,' 'Carmel,' 'Skaneateles,' '1000 Islands,' 'Block Island' and 'Seattle.'

The items were sold by: Montauk Clothing, Riptide East, Shirt Shops of Cape May, Summer Sweats, Rip Current Sportswear, B&B Dept. Stores, Trapper Jack's, Annie & The Tees, Emporium, Inc., The Trading Co., Mackerel Jack's, Carmel Classics, Rolands, The Ship Gift Shop, Star Dept. Store, Seattle Shirt and Simply Seattle from September 2005 through September 2009 for between $25 and $35. Most stores are located in New England with two stores each in Seattle, Washington and Alaska. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately remove the drawstrings from the sweatshirts to eliminate the hazard, or return the garment to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Century 21 Promotions at (800) 935-2100 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

June 5, 2003

Weather Works Inc. is recalling about 2,400 units of its Ventilaire Electric Heaters. Internal plastic components can overheat and damage the wiring, posing a fire and electrocution hazard to consumers.

Weather Works has received one report of a heater smoking and starting a fire, though no injuries were reported.

The portable electric heater is beige, constructed of a plastic housing, and has the "Weather Works" logo printed on the front side of the fan. On the base of the unit is a sticker reading, "Model No. CH-601, AC 120V - 60Hz, 1500 Watts, Made in China, 4H39."

The units were sold at retail chain stores in Florida, such as The Andersons, Chase-Pitkin Home & Garden, and Florida Hardware, from June 2002 through March 2003 for about $20.

Consumers should return the unit to the firm for a full refund plus cost of postage. The heater should be mailed to: 2340 NW 102nd Place, Miami, FL 33172.

For more information, call Weather Works at (888) 269-9247 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

October 21, 2009
Zero Motorcycles Inc. is recalling about 200 model year 2009 Zero X and Zero MX off-road motorcycles. The throttle can become stuck in the open position or become disconnected. In the Easy or the 0-25 mode, this can unexpectedly lead to full power, resulting in a loss of control and serious injury to the rider.

Zero Motorcycles has received three reports of unexpected acceleration, including one report of minor injuries.

This recall involves the model year 2009 Zero X and Zero MX electric motorcycles. The recalled motorcycles are white, with the Zero name and logo printed on the battery.

The motorcycles, made in the U.S., were sold by Zero Motorcycles dealers nationwide from December 2008 through August 2009 for between $7,500 and $8,300.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled motorcycles and contact Zero Motorcycles to schedule a free repair. Registered owners of the affected motorcycles have been mailed a direct notice.

For additional information, contact Zero Motorcycles toll-free at (888) 786-9376 or (888) RUN-ZERO between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.zeromotorcycles.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

April 28, 2009
BMW is recalling the 2008 R1200 GS and R1200 GS Adventure motorcycles. In certain conditions, spurious electrical signals could occur, possibly causing the anti-lock brake system to switch off. Normal braking would still be available.

Dealers will inspect and repair or replace the components free of charge. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.

Consumers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or at www.safercar.gov.

December 9, 2003

Coldwater Creek and Cape Craftsman are recalling mica tree candleholders. Flames from the tealight candle can ignite the candleholder, posing a fire and burn hazard.

The company received one report of the rectangle-shaped candleholder igniting after a consumer lit the tealight candle. No injuries have been reported.

The recalled copper and mica candleholders were sold in rectangular and square shapes. The 8.5-inch tall, square-shaped candleholder has a cut-out of an evergreen tree on each side. The 10-inch tall, rectangular-shaped candleholder has cut-outs of an evergreen tree, a star and moon on each side.

Coldwater Creek stores nationwide sold the items from October 2003 through November 2003 for about $20.

Consumers should contact the company to receive information on returning the product for a full refund, including postage. The company also will provide consumers a $20 gift card upon return of the merchandise.

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers should contact Customer Service toll-free at (800) 262-0040 between 6 a.m. and 3 a.m. ET or visit the firms Web site at www.coldwatercreek.com.