Play Brooms Recalled Because Of Lead Paint Hazard

Since 1960, Come Play has imported 100,000 of these brooms from Hungary and sold them nationwide for about $2.50 retail value through variety stores nationally. The brooms are approximately 28 inches long, with natural straw bristles. The handles are painted red. On the handle the word "HUNGARY" is stamped in gold-colored letters. This recall does not apply to Brooms with plastic handles and plastic bristles.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission knows of one incident involving a child who had ingested paint from the broom's handle but was unable conclusively to attribute the child's elevated blood lead level to the toy.

CPSC regulations limit paint on consumer products to .06%. The CPSC found that the paint on the brooms' handles contained an excess of lead many times the legal amount. The brooms are therefore banned. If a child gnaws or sucks on an article coated with lead-containing paint and ingests the paint, the lead will enter the child's bloodstream.

The Commission and Come Play Products Company urge teachers and parents to remove these brooms from use immediately and either discard them or return them for a refund to the retailer where purchased. Retailers should remove the brooms from their shelves and return them to Come Play Products Company, 44 Suffolk Street, Worcester, Massachusettes, 01604.