Health officials are warning parents about new recalls of children's items due to excessive levels of lead.
High lead levels have been found in children's books, toys, jewelry, and candies. Lead poisoning in children can make it hard for them to learn, pay attention and behave.
All of the products listed here pose a serious risk of lead poisoning to children, and people should take these products away from children.
The four children's products with high lead levels include:
SpongeBob Square Pants address books and journals sold at stores across the country from June 2006 through July 2007. They cost about $2. The books had a picture of SpongeBob on the front and had a black spiral binding. The lead paint is on the spiral binding. About 250,000 of the items are being recalled. The items were made in China.
Thomas and Friends, Curious George, and other spinning tops and tin pails were sold at toy stores across the country from July 2001 through July 2002. The tops cost about $13. The pails cost about $6. The tops and pails are mostly metal and have wooden handles.
The tops are painted with Thomas and Friends, Curious George, or a circus scene. The pails are painted with Thomas and Friends, Curious George, or in a solid red or yellow color. Tops with plastic handles are not included in this recall. About 66,000 tops and 4,700 pails are being recalled. The tops and pails were made in China.
Children's charm
Magnetic Toy Train Sets were sold by catalog through the Johnson Smith Company, The Paragon Gifts Inc., and Starcrest Catalogs of California from December 2005 through July 2007. The train sets include a wooden engine, caboose, letters and numbers. They are sold in a rainbow of colors. They have either a letter or number attached to a base with four wooden wheels. The alphabet train set has 28 pieces. The number train set has 12 pieces. Each car in the train set is 2 by 2 by 2 inches in size. The train sets were made in China.
Officials said the product should immediately be taken away from children.. Refunds or replacement toys can be received by contacting the suppliers:
For Spongebob Squarepants items, call Martin Designs, Inc. at 866-898-0261. You can also go to the Web site at www.martindesigns-ltd.com.
For recalled tops and tin pails, call Schylling at 800-767-8697. You can also go to the Web site at www.schylling.com.
For the charm bracelets, you should go to the store for a refund. If you cannot go there, you can call Buy-Rite at 888-777-7952. You can also go to the Web site at www.buyriteinc.com.
If you bought the magnetic train set from one of these catalogs, Hampton Direct will send you a letter about a free replacement train. You can call Hampton Direct at 800-208-4050. You can also go to the Web site at www.hamptondirect.com.
The California Department of Public Health also warns that Barrilito and Miguelito candies both have high levels of lead. TJ Candy Corp. has issued a voluntary recall of the candies. Health officials said the candies should be thrown away. If you find these candies for sale, you should call the CDPH Complaint Hotline at 800-495-3232.
Barrilito candy is a thick, dark brown syrup in a clear glass jar. It has a white plastic cover and comes with a small plastic spoon. The label is yellow. It pictures a smiling barrel with white hands and eyes and brown shoes.
Miguelito candy is a reddish-orange powder. It contains salt and sugar. The clear plastic packet has the name Miguelito written in large blue letters with a white background. A blue and white cupid is also pictured.
For more information about lead poisoning, call the Humboldt County Public Health Branch at 707-268-2132 or toll-free at 1-866-597-1574.
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