Popular toy sold at Five Below faces recall for unsafe lead levels

Emily Barnes, New York State Team

Giving a remote control car for Christmas this year? Double check the brand — the New York State Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) is pushing for a recall on a remote control toy with high lead levels.

Product testing completed by the DCP revealed the Speed Striker Remote Control Car toy was found to have 2.5 times the allowable paint and surface coating lead level established by the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

The toy was purchased at Five Below and distributed by 1616 Holdings, Inc.

How much lead was found in the product?

The New York State Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection is urging the federal government to issue a recall of the Speed Striker Remote Control Car toy for high levels of lead. The product was purchased at Five Below.
The New York State Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection is urging the federal government to issue a recall of the Speed Striker Remote Control Car toy for high levels of lead. The product was purchased at Five Below.

The white coating on the code and print on the bottom of the car was found to contain a lead level of 230 parts per million (ppm), which is 155% above the federal CPSIA limit of 90 ppm for the presence of total lead content in paints and surface coatings.

What is NY doing about it?

The DCP has contacted the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to request a national recall and asked Five Below to remove the toy from its shelves as well as discontinue its sale.

1616 Holdings, Inc., the distributor, has also been contacted by the DCP to request it cease the distribution and sale of the toy both in New York and nationwide.

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What to know about lead, symptoms if ingested

Lead is toxic to humans and can affect people of all ages and health statuses. Exposure to lead is often difficult to identify, according to the FDA, and most children have no obvious immediate symptoms.

Exposure to lead can only be diagnosed through clinical testing, and signs and symptoms of lead toxicity varies, based on exposure.

Short term symptoms of lead exposure include:

  • Headache

  • Abdominal pain/colic

  • Vomiting

  • Anemia

Additional symptoms that may arise as the result of longer term lead exposure include:

  • Irritability

  • Lethargy

  • Fatigue

  • Muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning

  • Constipation

  • Difficulty concentrating/muscular weakness

  • Tremor

  • Weight loss

Lead exposure can seriously harm a child's health and lead to long-term health effects, which may result in negative effects on learning and focus, the CDC says, including:

  • Damage to the brain and nervous system

  • Slowed growth and development

  • Learning and behavior problems

  • Hearing and speech problems

For more information on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention, visit health.ny.gov/environmental/lead/.

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What to do if you have purchased the remote car toy

The DCP says to throw the toy in the garbage or set it aside in a safe area and await any future recall instructions.

There may or may not be a refund component available at a later time.

If you identify a recalled product in the marketplace or would like more information about toy safety and recalls, call the Consumer Assistance Hotline at 1-800-697-1220.

Complaints can also be filed at dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection.

Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Barnes at ebarnes@gannett.com or on Twitter @byemilybarnes.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Speed Striker Remote Control Car sold at Five Below recalled

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