J.C. Penney Recalls 70,000 Toys Amid Lead Fear

Posted on Oct 18, 2007

J.C. Penney is recalling 70,000 toys made in China, Taiwan and Vietnam after laboratory tests showed lead may be present in the paint on the toys’ plastic, reports the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in Washington, D.C.

Suspected Toys Sold from August ‘05 to August ‘07

Amid the recalled units were Winnie the Pooh play sets and art kits. The Winnie the Pooh set in question is made of 23 pieces including a white or black baby doll with diaper bag, blanket, playpen, highchair, swing, stroller and carrying bags. It was sold in the United States from August 2005 through August 2007. The art set consists of a wooden box with pull-out trays containing 177 different items, including paints and brushes. It was sold September 2005 through August 2007.

Lead is toxic chemical element that, if ingested by young children, can cause nerve damage. Regulations state children's products with greater than 0.06 percent lead that could be accessible to users are subject to recall.

Over 20,000 Chinese-made toys were recalled by other companies, according to the CPSC. Miniature Jeff Gordon NASCAR helmets by Riddell Inc., bendable dinosaur toys by Kipp Brothers and magnetic art kits by Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores were recalled due to lead-contamination.

According to Wikipedia, lead turns gray after exposure to air. A heavy metal, lead accumulates in a human’s soft tissues and bone over time. Like mercury, lead is a neurotoxin, meaning the contaminant attacks a body’s nerve cells. Lead also can cause brain and blood disorders.