Mattel recalls 10.9 million toys in the US and Canada
30 Sep 2010
Mattel Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fisher-Price, the world's largest toy company today said that is recalling 10.9 million toys in the US and Canada over risks of injury to children, three years after it was forced to recall over 20 million toys made in China for potential lead poisoning.
The recall, which is the largest since then and after the US Congress strengthened the powers of the product-safety regulator, California-based Mattel is recalling 7 million tricycles, 2.8 million infant toys and 950,000 high chairs.
Both regulators, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada said that in one of the toys- the valve of the inflatable ball can come off and pose a choking hazard to young children.
They said that they were aware of 46 reports of incidents where the valve came off in the US and eight reports in Canada. These include 14 reports of the valve found in a child's mouth and three reports of a child beginning to choke. No injuries have been reported.
In Fisher-Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles, the protruding plastic ignition key near the seat of the trikes can cause genital bleeding if a toddler comes in contact with force.
There were10 reports of children being hurt with six of them required medical attention.
The high baby chairs have pegs behind that hold trays, but seven children required stitches after they fell on them resulting in cuts and bruises.
The recalls come after the company from 2006 to 2007 recalled a total of 18.5 million toys made in China from the world market because they contained "impermissible" levels of lead. (See: Mattel recalls 18.5 million China-made toys in Round 2 / and Mattel to take back 800,000 China-made toys in third recall)