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Reebok bracelets recall gains momentum in US
Boy who swallowed Reebok bracelet died of lead poisoning.
BY A CORRESPONDENT
March 28, 2006
Reebok bracelets for children in the US, canada and Europe are in the middle of a storm following the death of a Minneapolis toddler who swallowed the bracelet and died of lead poisoning.
"The child reportedly swallowed a piece from one of the bracelets. Consumers should immediately take the charm bracelets away from children and dispose of the entire bracelet," Reebok said in a statement.
Reebok has been distributing the bracelets free with its Children Classic Footwear in US, Canada, latin American Countries and some of Europe and Asia. The bracelets were made in China by a contract manufacturer, who made it with lead in a proportion not permissible in the US. The child, who got the Reebok bracelets free with his Reebok footwear accidentally swallowed the bracelet, and fell sick. he was admitted to the hospital with severe stomach pain, and dies a few days later. On analysis, it was found that the swallowed reebok bracelet had a lead composition of 90%. In US, the allowed proportion is 0.06%.
Alarmed, both Reebok and an American consumer safety body started a massive recall of all the Reebok bracelets in the market. The name of the contract manufacturer of the lead bracelet is not known so far. In the US, about 300,000 Reebok bracelets are being recalled, while in the UK, 1,42,000 bracelets will be recalled. Reebok has put out adverttisements in British and US newspapers asking parents to take the bracelets away and dispose them off.
The Reebok lead bracelet recall may be a logistical nightmare. They have been in circulation for a couple of years, and no one knew that deadly lead was hiding in the silver-coloured bracelet.
According to th US safety commission, the children's jewelry being recalled has high amounts of lead, which can have have adverse effects including lead poisoning. The footwear and apprel major Reebok was acquired by Adidas last year.
The eight-inch-long silvery bracelets have a heart-shaped charm with the name "Reebok" engraved on one side.
Reebok president Paul Harrington said: "The entire Reebok family is saddened by the tragic death of a four-year-old child from Minnesota, whose reported cause of death was lead poisoning, and who was found to have ingested a trinket with our name on it. Personally as parents, and professionally as a brand committed to human rights and a healthy, active lifestyle for adults and youth, we extend our deepest sympathies to the child's family. We recognise that Reebok has an unequivocal responsibility to publicly address this tragedy and to work very hard to ensure that what might have contributed to this death never happens again. As president and CEO of the Reebok Brand, and the father of three young children, I am deeply saddened and greatly concerned."
The Reebok recall closely on the heels of another recall, this time by the Dollar Tree chain. The company, which has several retail chain brands recalled silver-colored rings and black cord necklaces with a silver charm, which were packaged as "Mood Necklace," "Mood Ring," "Glow in the Dark Necklace," "Glow in the Dark Ring," "UV Necklace" or "UV Ring." The items were sold from September 2003 through February 2006.
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