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Recall Details
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 1) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has voted unanimously to accept the voluntary corrective action plans of 26 manufacturers and importers of hand-held hair dryers made with asbestos.
The 26 companies account for nearly 10 percent of those hand-held hair dryers manufactured with asbestos since 1969. The other 90 per cent were distributed by 11 manufacturers and private labelers whose corrective actions were approved by the Commission last May.
Among the 26 manufacturers and private labelers, eight have agreed to repair their hair dryers; three have agreed to refund the purchase price or replace the dryers with asbestos-free dryers; and 15 have agreed to exchange their dryers for refunds, new asbestos-free dryers or other products manufactured or imported by the firm. Nearly 100 different models and styles of hair dryers are covered under these corrective action plans.
Since May 1979, CPSC has ordered 146 corporations to submit sworn information regarding the use of asbestos in their hair dryers.
The 26 companies listed below informed CPSC that the heat shields in their dryers contained asbestos (but that no other dryer parts exposed to the dryers' airstream contained asbestos). None of the remaining 120 firms reported having manufactured hair dryers containing asbestos.
The companies which have agreed to repair or accept returns of their hair dryers include:
Afro Products, Inc., of Ottuma, Iowa; Allied Stores Marketing Corp., of New York City; Arrow Trading Co., New York City; B&E Sales Co., of Detroit, Michigan; Brother International Corp., of Piscataway, New Jersey; Formac, Inc., of City of Industry, California; Hartman Products of Hawthorne, California; W.P. Hemenway Co., of Portland, Oregon; Hairaoka New York Inc., of New York City; Hitachi Sales Corp. of Compton, California; Interpur (a division of Dart Industries) of Orlando, Florida; and M.S.S. Direct Ltd., of Hauppauge, New York.
Also included are: Market Importing Services Inc., of New York City; New York Merchandise Co. of New York City.; Pace Setter of Burbank, California: Panasonic Co. of Secaucus, New Jersey; Pearlduck Inc., of Garden City, New York; Sanyei New York Corp. of New York City; Sanyo Electric Inc., of Compton, California; Save-Way Industries Inc. of Hialeah, Florida; Swank Co., Inc., of New York City; T.G. & Y. Stores Co. of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Wakefern Food Corp. of Elizabeth, New Jersey; Windsor Industries, Inc., of Melville, New York; F.W. Woolworth Co. of New York City; and Zayre Corp. of Framingham, Massachusetts.
Many of these companies maintain that hair dryers containing asbestos have not been proven to present a health hazard.
CPSC staffers have compiled a list providing the specific corrective actions which the 26 individual firms have agreed to perform. The list can be obtained free by writing to: Hair Dryers, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C., 20207.
Consumers also can obtain specific information about the plans by contacting CPSC's toll-free Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Note: Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.
If you are experiencing issues with a recall remedy or believe a company is being non-responsive to your remedy request, please use this form and explain the situation to CPSC.
Related Recalls
The handheld hair dryers lack an immersion protection device, which presents a substantial product hazard to consumers, posing the risk of death or serious injury from electrocution or shock if the hair dryers fall into water while plugged in.
The barrel of the curling iron can snap and detach, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
The saunas contain a bench that can collapse, posing a fall hazard to consumers.
The lithium-ion batteries can overheat while charging, posing a fire hazard.
The numbing cream contains lidocaine, which must be in child-resistant packaging, as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. The numbing cream’s packaging is not child-resistant, posing a risk of serious injury or death from poisoning, if the contents are swallowed by young children.
The misting fan can overheat while charging and ignite, posing a fire hazard.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
For lifesaving information:
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- Report a dangerous product or product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.
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