CPSC Announces Roundup To Crush And Destroy Used Cribs

Following its Aug. 31 warning about the dangers of used cribs, which are responsible for about 50 infant deaths a year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing a roundup to crush and destroy used cribs. The Washington area roundup is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School, 4301 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Md.

According to the CPSC report released in late August, cribs, many of them old and previously used, account for more deaths of infants than any other nursery item. Infants strangled or suffocated when they became trapped in the crib side or end, when they became trapped between an undersized mattress and the side of the crib, and when clothing or items around their neck became entangled on the crib corner posts or crib hardware. The majority of cribs involved in these incidents were previously owned or used, obtained as "hand-me-downs" gifts from friends and relatives or purchased at yard sales, flea markets, and used furniture stores.

"CPSC and crib manufacturers are doing their part to make the cribs currently on the market safe," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "But now, we need parents, grandparents, and well-meaning friends to help us find and destroy the unsafe used cribs they may be saving in their attics and basements for sentimental reasons or future use." "We don't want there to be any chance that even with the best intentions a new parent will be given a used or hand-me-down crib that could be a death trap for their baby."

The roundup, sponsored by the Danny Foundation, the Consumer Federation of America, and the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Assoc., is part of a joint government, industry, and consumer program to eliminate infant deaths associated with cribs.

The roundup organizers are collecting used cribs at the following seven drop-off sites: the Montgomery County Department of Police in Bethesda; the Rockville City Police Impound Lot; the Montgomery County Police Department in Germantown, Md.; Town Hall in Kensington, Md.; the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Md.; the Salvation Army in Annandale, Va.; and the Lowe's Home Store in Gaithersburg, Md. For more information on drop-off sites for used cribs call (301) 652-0787.

A number of consumer groups have organized efforts for rounding up and destroying unsafe used cribs. The Salvation Army has donated a number of cribs for the Washington area roundup and members of the Girl Scouts will be on hand to help dismantle the cribs for crushing. Dominos Pizza will donate coupons for a free pizza redeemable at any Washington area Dominos to the first 100 people who bring a used crib to the roundup. In addition to the Bethesda, Md., crib roundup on Sept. 16, the sponsors have organized other crib roundups that day in Rochester, N.Y., Denver, and San Francisco.

CPSC recommends that cribs meet the following safety guidelines:

-No missing, loose, broken, or improperly-installed screws, brackets, or other loose hardware on the crib or the mattress support.

-No more than 2 3/8 inches between crib slats so a baby's body cannot fit through the slats. If a soda can fits easily through the slats on a crib, the spaces between the slats are too wide.

-A firm snug-fitting mattress so a baby cannot get trapped between the mattress and the side of the crib.

-No corner posts over 1/16 of an inch above the end panels (unless they are over 16 inches high for a canopy) so baby cannot catch clothing and strangle.

-No cutout areas on the headboard or foot board so a baby's head cannot get trapped.

-A mattress support that does not easily pull apart from the corner posts so a baby cannot get trapped between the mattress and crib.

-No cracked or peeling paint to prevent lead poisoning.

-No splinters or rough edges.