Recall roundup: This week’s consumer product recalls

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Here’s your roundup of recalled products announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission this week. For more recalls, click here:

Pacifiers

Nearly 45,000 Karino baby pacifiers are being recalled because they fail to meet federal safety standards and could pose a choking hazard to young children. The nipple can separate from the base easily; the pacifier handle is too long; the mouth guard is too small; and there are no ventilation holes on the mouth guard.

The pacifiers were made in Mexico and distributed by Antonio Flores of San Ysidro, Calif. They were sold at independent grocery stores in California and Texas from October 2009 through March 2010 for about 25 cents.

The pacifier has a ring-shaped handle and a round-shaped mouth guard. “Karino” is printed on the handle side of the mouth guard and “Mygra” is printed on one side of the handle. The nipple is filled with corn syrup.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled pacifiers away from children and contact Antonio Flores at (619) 395-4543 for a refund or exchange. No injuries have been reported.

Bamboo torches

About 324,000 bamboo torches are being recalled because the fuel canister that holds the wick of the torch has a sharp edge inside the lip of the opening that poses a laceration hazard when consumers try to remove the wick.

Five incidents of finger lacerations have been reported, including one that required stitches.
The torches were sold at CVS, Rite Aid and Dollar Tree stores from February 2008 through March 2010 for between $3 and $5. They were made in China and distributed by Atico International USA Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Click here to see the recalled model and UPC numbers.

Consumers should stop using the recalled torches and contact Atico International USA for instructions on obtaining a full refund.

For additional information, call (866) 448-7856 or visit the company’s website at www.aticousa.com.

Roman and roller shades

About 1.3 million roman and roller shades distributed by Corona-based Smith+Noble are being recalled because of a strangulation hazard.

With the roman shades, strangulations can occur when a child places his or her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the shade or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his or her neck.

With the roller shades, strangulation can occur if the shade’s continuous loop cord is not attached to the wall with the tension device provided and a child’s neck becomes entangled in the free-standing loop.

The CPSC and Smith+Noble have received a report of a 5-year-old boy in Tacoma, Wash., who became entangled in an unsecured continuous loop bead cord on a roller shade in May 2009. No medical treatment was required.

This recall involves all roller shades that do not have a tension device attached to the continuous loop cord and all custom, made-to-order roman shades. Brand names include Smith+Noble, Christopher Lowell by Smith+Noble, Jessitt Gold, Shop Blinds and Window Elements.

The shades were sold online at www.smithandnoble.com and through catalog sales nationwide from 1998 through April 2010 for between $100 and $1,600, depending on custom size and options. They were manufactured in China, Mexico and the United States.

Consumers should immediately stop using the roman shades and contact the Window Covering Safety Council for a free repair kit at (800) 506-4636 or visit www.windowcoverings.org.

Consumers should check the roller shades to make sure the tension device provided is attached to the continuous loop cord and installed into the wall. If not attached, consumers should attach the tension device securely to the wall. If they no longer have the tension device, consumers should immediately stop using the roller shades and contact Window Covering Safety Council to receive a free replacement tension device.

For additional information, contact Smith+Noble at (877) 228-7683 or visit the firm’s website. .

-- Andrea Chang