FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2009
Release # 09-267 |
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 777-4891
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
HC Media Contact: (613) 957-2983
|
American Greetings Corp. Recalls Sport Balls Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: DesignWare Sport Balls
Units: About 90,000 packages in the United States and 1,900 in Canada
Importer: American Greetings Corp., of Cleveland, Ohio
Hazard: The surface coating on the basketball contains excessive levels of lead, in violation of the federal lead paint standard.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported
Description: 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.
Sold at: Various retailers in the U.S. and Canada from August 2004 through April 2009 for about $3.50.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled sport balls away from children and contact American Greetings to receive a coupon for a replacement product.
Consumer Contact: 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 firm’s Web site at www.ag.com
Note: Health Canada’s press release is available at http://209.217.71.106/PR/recall-retrait-e.jsp?re_id=796
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.