ImagiPLAY Recalls Bead Maze Toys Due to Laceration Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 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.

Name of Product: Bead Maze Toys

Units: About 500

Importer: ImagiPLAY, of Boulder, Colo.

Hazard: The trees on the toys can detach, exposing a metal screw. This poses a laceration hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled products are painted wooden toys with beads that slide on a curved metal track. The product was sold in three styles: the Apple Tree Bead Maze, the Cactus Tree Bead Maze and the Palm Tree Bead Maze.

Sold by: Toy retailers nationwide from August 2008 through October 2008 for about $13.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and return them to the retail store where purchased for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact ImagiPLAY at (800) 882-0217 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm?s Web site at www.ImagiPLAY.com (pdf).

JA-RU Recalls Toy Trains Due To Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 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.

Name of Product: My Little Train Classics Toy Trains

Units: About 18,000

Importer: JA-RU Inc., of Jacksonville, Fla.

Hazard: The recalled toy contain small parts which can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: My Little Train Classics wooden toy trains are available in two styles. One, with a yellow cab, blue body and six red wheels and the other with a blue cab, red boiler, wooden base and four black wheels. The item #5293 is the same for both styles and is located in the lower left hand corner on the front of the package.

Sold at: Various wholesalers and retailers nationwide from March 2007 through October 2008 for about $2.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should take the toy train away from children immediately and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact JA-RU at (800) 231-3470 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Wooden Infant Toys Recalled by Habermaass Corp. Due to Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 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.

Name of Product: Wooden Puzzles, Infant Rattles, Pacifier Holders, and Stroller Toys

Units: About 118,000

Manufacturer: Habermaass Corp. Inc., of Skaneateles, N.Y.

Hazard: The wooden rattles, pacifier holders, and stroller toys contain small pieces including glued on mirrors and/or prisms that can detach, posing a choking hazard to infants. The head of the ladybug puzzle pieces also poses a choking hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Habermaass Corp. has received 15 reports of incidents involving the recalled puzzles, rattles, and pacifier holders including pieces of the rattles detaching and being mouthed by young children.

Description: The puzzles, rattle toys, pacifier holders, and stroller toys are wooden and are described in the chart below. ?HABA? is printed on them.

Sold at: Specialty toy stores nationwide and at specialty online retailers from January 2002 through August 2008 for between $10 and $35.

Manufactured in: Germany

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled puzzles, rattles, pacifier holders and stroller toys away from children and contact Habermaass to receive a free replacement product or a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Habermaass Corp. at (800) 468-6873 ext. 107 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm?s Web site at www.HABAusa.com/safety

Click Here to see a full list of the items involved

Like I needed another reason to detest video games.

I’ve always thought of video games as a pretty big waste of time. They’re overpriced and addictive, and the consoles could really do some damage if they landed on a child’s head. Now Green Peace has released a report that makes the claim that game consoles like Playstation, XBox, and all the other popular consoles might contain harmful components that aren’t usually allowed into toys. The problem is that video game consoles don’t fall under the same regulatory laws as other toys do, so manufacturers are allowed to put things like bromine, PVC, and all sorts of other dangerous chemicals into the consoles.

Do you really want these chemicals sitting in your living room?

You probably already know that most childhood experts consider excessive video game play among children to be detrimental, but now you have to worry about the actual materials contained within the console too. Greenpeace makes the claim that technology exists for game manufacturers to produce greener consoles, but whether they actually will depends on how willing the game comapanies are to change their ways.

As for me, I’ll just keep the consoles out of the house altogether.