Recalls in April 2008

The recall applies to the 2004 through 2005 New Beetle and the 2003 through 2005 New Beetle convertibles equipped with a dual stage air bag system.

Federal safety regulators at NHTSA reported that the air bag system many have front crash sensors that contain a faulty circuit board that my crack under high temperature conditions.

The circuit board failure may cause the front air bags to deploy more forcefully than designed, increasing the possibility of injury, according to the NHTSA Web site.

NHTSA reported that the failure will cause the air back indicator light to illuminate.

VW dealers will inspect the New Beetle and replace any defective sensor when the recall begins in July.

New Beetle owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987 or NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

Information leading to the recall came from consumer complaints to NHTSA and early warning data regarding warranty claims and field reports on the crash sensors within the air bag system, according to the agency.

The announcement followed the release of a draft report from the U.S. National Toxicology Program that expressed concern that BPA, used to make plastic, could cause behavioral changes in infants and children and trigger the early onset of puberty in females.

Meanwhile, a new study found that BPA can alter the activity of genes in normal breast cells in ways that resemble what is found in extremely dangerous breast cancers.

The study, conducted by researchers in California and published this month in the journal Cancer Research, found that many genes in non-cancerous breast cells exposed to trace amounts of BPA began acting in a way that closely resembled the gene activity in highly aggressive breast tumors that led to an increased likelihood that women would die of the disease.

BPA is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in modern industry. It is the basic building block for polycarbonate, the see-through, shatterproof plastic that resembles glass. It's also used to make the epoxy resins lining most tin cans, along with some dental sealants, sports helmets and compact discs.

Canada first

Wal-Mart announced on Wednesday that it would halt sales of baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, food containers and water bottles made with BPA in its Canadian stores, following reports that Canadian health authorities would soon declare the chemical a health hazard. On Thursday, Wal-Mart expanded the ban to its U.S. stores.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Health Canada had concluded that BPA is a dangerous substance, the first national government to make that determination. Health Minister Tony Clement is expected to impose restrictions on its use soon.

Other retailers are likely to follow Wal-Mart's action. Target said it is testing glass baby bottles. Babies R Us said it began selling glass bottles and BPA-free bottles late last year.

The latest findings are "highly supportive of the concept that overexposure to BPA and/or similar compounds could be an underlying factor in the aggressiveness, if not in the causality" of breast cancers, said Shanaz Dairkee, lead author of the study and senior scientist at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco, Canada's Globe and Mail reported.

The study results were designated a "priority report" by the journal, published by the American Association for Cancer Research, one of the world's largest scientific organizations devoted to cancer studies.

The American Chemistry Council, an industry group, said news reports about BPA are "unnecessarily confusing and frightening the public."

April 14, 2008
At least 23 people in 14 states have been diagnosed with salmonellosis that was caused by the same strain of Salmonella that was found in the recently recalled unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced by Malt-O-Meal, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The recalled products were distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand name as well as under private label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality.

The cereals have "Best If Used By" dates from April 8, 2008 (coded as "APR0808") through March 18, 2009 (coded as "MAR1809").

Consumers should throw out any product in their homes from these recalled lots. Grocery stores and other retailers should promptly remove the cereals from their shelves.

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of foodborne Salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.

In people with poor health or weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.

Individuals who believe they may have experienced an illness consistent with the symptoms described above after consuming a puffed wheat or puffed rice cereal made by Malt-O-Meal should contact their health care practitioner immediately and report the illness to their state or local health authorities.

On April 5, 2008, Malt-O-Meal voluntarily recalled the cereals because the companys routine testing found Salmonella in a product produced on March 24, 2008.

The FDA is working with Malt-O-Meal to determine the cause of the contamination and with the states and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify and prevent additional illnesses.

April 7, 2008    
Dollar Tree is recalling about 300,000 plush insect toys.They contain small parts, posing a choking hazard to small children.

The recalled plush insect toys come in six designs: Lady Bug, Bumble Bee, Caterpillar, Snail and two Butterflies. The toys measure nine inches to 10 inches in length. The lady bug is black with six legs, a red back with four black dots and orange eyelids. The bumble bee is black and yellow with six legs, sheer white wings and red eyelids. The caterpillar has four sections that are yellow, pink, green and orange with seven legs connected on each side and purple eyelids. The snail is yellow with dark pink eyelids and a two tone brown shell. One butterfly is blue and yellow with sheer purple wings with four orange dots and light pink eyelids. The second butterfly is a two tone pink with blue eyelids and sheer green wings with four yellow dots. The product number is 903995 and UPC is 6 39277 03995 8 with a date code of 71.

They were sold at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks, Only One $1, and Deal$ stores nationwide from March 2007 through December 2007 for about $1. The toys were made in China.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled plush insect toys from children and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Dollar Tree Stores Inc. 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).