A POPULAR children’s gardening set has been recalled over a “serious chemical risk”.
Shoppers have been warned over a seven-piece toy set for kids sold by Costco in the UK.
The garden set is sold at Costco’s in the UK[/caption]
The Long Handle Hoe and Rake in Stanley Jr. Kids Wheelbarrow and seven-piece Garden Sets have been urgently pulled from shelves.
They do not meet the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011.
Office for Product Safety and Standards officials confirmed yellow paint on the hoe and rake handles contains “excess concentrations of migratable lead”.
Health risks of exposure include kidney damage, problems in the circulatory system and developing brains.
The unborn babies of pregnant women and young children are the most sensitive to lead.
Customers have been warned to check for the Costco item number 1662178, batch 12/2023, and SKU SGH021-08-SY.
Anyone with the item has been advised to stop using it and request a free replacement through the Red Toolbox recall site.
An OPSS spokesperson said: “The product presents a serious chemical risk as the yellow paint on the handle of the long hoe was found to contain 800 ± 12mg/kg of migratable lead and the yellow paint on the handle of the long rake was found to contain 210 ± 4mg/kg of migratable lead.
“Exposure to lead may cause a wide range of adverse effects, including damage to the kidneys, the circulatory system, and the developing brain.
“The unborn child and young children are the most sensitive to lead.
“The product does not meet the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011.”
Your product recall rights
Chief consumer reporter James Flanders reveals all you need to know.
Product recalls are an important means of protecting consumers from dangerous goods.
As a general rule, if a recall involves a branded product, the manufacturer would usually have lead responsibility for the recall action.
But it’s often left up to supermarkets to notify customers when products could put them at risk.
If you are concerned about the safety of a product you own, always check the manufacturer’s website to see if a safety notice has been issued.
When it comes to appliances, rather than just food items, the onus is usually on you – the customer – to register the appliance with the manufacturer as if you don’t there is no way of contacting you to tell you about a fault.
If you become aware that an item you own has been recalled or has any safety noticed issued against it, make sure you follow the instructions given to you by the manufacturer.
They should usually provide you with more information and a contact number on its safety notice.
In some cases, the manufacturer might ask you to return the item for a full refund or arrange for the faulty product to be collected.
You should not be charged for any recall work – such as a repair, replacement or collection of the recalled item
