| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT:Nychelle White |
| October 24, 1996 |
(301) 504-7063 |
| Release # 97-009 |
| |
CPSC, Direct Source International Announce Plastic Halloween Bucket Recall
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Direct Source International Inc. of Blue Ash, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling 11,700 packages of small plastic halloween candy buckets. Dillon Stores of Hutchinson, Kan., and CPSC found prohibited levels of lead in the black, red, and yellow paint, which peels readily from the buckets. The lead paint can cause lead poisoning in young children, who may ingest the paint from the banned buckets.
The buckets come in three styles: as orange pumpkins, white skulls, and green Frankenstein heads, measuring 2.75 inches in diameter by 2.25 inches high. They are packed six to a cellophane package with an orange cardboard header labeled on the front, "HAPPY HALLOWEEN... 6 Halloween Buckets," and on the back, bar code number "43748 88014... Direct Source International Inc...Made in China." Some of the packages also include "Item NO. FF-014" on the back of the label.
Various retail stores, including Dillon Stores and Kroger Company, sold the buckets from August 1996 to October 1996 for about $1 per package.
CPSC received one report of a child who may have ingested some of the paint from the buckets.
Consumers should take the buckets away from children immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund of the purchase price. Consumers who have questions about this recall may call Direct Source International Inc. at (513) 793-9379.
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.