Lunch Box Maker to Pull Hazardous Products from New York Stores

Children's lunchbox distributor Fast Forward LLC, one of the companies that the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) took legal action against this summer for their lead-tainted lunchboxes, has reached an agreement with the NY Attorney General to recall twenty-two styles of children's lunchboxes from stores in New York State. In addition, WalMart will voluntarily pull the Fast Forward lunchboxes from their stores nationwide. Fast Forward lunchboxes that tested for high lead levels in independent tests commissioned by CEH included products featuring well-known children's characters such as Superman, Tweety Bird, and Powerpuff Girls. After independent testing commissioned by CEH showed high lead levels in vinyl lunchboxes that pose a potential health hazard to children, the CEH legal action against lunchbox makers brought national attention to the problem and prompted health officials across the country to conduct their own investigations.

"This is a welcome first step in our drive to protect children from lead in lunchboxes," said Michael Green, Executive Director of CEH. "The companies involved in making and selling children's lunchboxes must now come together to insure that all children are protected. We will continue to pursue our legal action to forge an industry-wide standard for safer lunchboxes."

The Fast Forward recall puts pressure on other lunchbox makers to follow-suit. CEH testing found levels of lead in lunchboxes made by other companies that were as high or higher than the Fast Forward products. For example, an Angela Anaconda lunchbox produced by Anaheim-based Targus International tested at 56,400 parts per million of lead, more than 90 times the 600 ppm legal limit for lead in paint in children's products. This and other lead-tainted lunchboxes may still be available in New York and nationally.

While the nationwide recall of Fast Forward lunchboxes by WalMart is welcome, CEH is suing several other retailers for selling lead-tainted lunchboxes, including Toys "R" Us, Walgreens, Big Lots, and Ross Stores. Lead-tainted Fast Forward lunchboxes, which CEH purchased from several Bay Area retailers this fall, may still be sold in stores outside of New York.

CEH is suing eight lunchbox makers and retailers and has notified another twenty-four lunchbox companies of its intent to sue under California law, which affords legal protection from lead or other chemicals in children's products. But although CEH and other groups have long urged stronger national laws on lead in vinyl children's products, the federal government still has no legal standard for many uses of vinyl. Despite the federal inaction on the lunchbox threat, other health officials in several states have contacted CEH and are investigating the problem.

Since CEH filed lawsuits against lunchbox makers and retailers in August, dozens of parents from all across the country have mailed their children's lunchboxes to the CEH office in Oakland, and over a thousand parents have called or emailed CEH with questions or concerns about their children's lunchboxes. Information and testing prompted by talks with parents is helping CEH in its ongoing investigation and legal work.

"New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has taken an important step to protect children from lead, and parents all across the country helped make this victory happen," said Green. "We urge parents who have lunchboxes from other companies to contact us and help us insure that children are protected from lead threats in any lunchbox brand."

For more information, see http://www.cehca.org/lunchboxes.htm. In the New York area, the Attorney general's office lunchbox information line is 800-771-7755. Fast Forward is a New York City-based company and can be reached at 877-244-4433.

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