Target is recalling nearly half a million wooden toys because of small parts that pose choking hazards.
The specific products are the Bullseye's Playground Toy Vehicles Collection which has detachable wheels. The wooden toys include the miniature caboose, Santa in Sleigh, ice cream truck/food truck, train, police car, firetruck, taxi, digger, and the toy vehicles 8-pack assortment.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall on April 18. So far, no injuries have been reported related to the hazard.
Recalled For Choking Hazard
The item number, model number, and UPC can be found on a white sticker on the bottom of each toy vehicle. The individual toys bear the DPCI or model number of 234-18-0100 and the assortment pack is 234-20-0189. The UPCs on the recalled items are the following:
Caboose: 765940893043
Santa in Sleigh: 765940892978
Ice Cream Truck/Food Truck: 765940892985
Train: 765940893012
Police Car: 765940893036
Firetruck: 765940893029
Taxi: 765940893005
Digger: 765940892992
Toy Vehicles 8-Pack Assortment: 765940893159
Wooden Toys Made In China
The product recall was issued following several reports that the wheels from the wooden toys are detaching, and a wheel was missing when the toy's packaging was opened.
The Bullseye toys are manufactured by the Zhejiang HuangyanXingbo Crafts Factory in China and sold in Target stores across the United States, and at Target.com from October through November 2018. The price for each toy is $1 for individual vehicles and $8 for the 8-pack collection.
The agency has advised consumers to take the recalled toys away from children and return them to any Target Store for a full refund.
Determining Choking Hazards
Children below the age of 3 are likely to put everything in their mouths. Parents must avoid buying toys intended for older children which may have small parts that pose a choking danger.
To know whether a toy contains small parts that may be a choking hazard, the CPSC uses a Choke Test Cylinder. Any part of the toy, including parts that can break off and fits completely in the cylinder is considered a small part, and a potential choking hazard.
However, even with existing federal regulations that are helping protect children from dangerous toys, choking remains the leading cause of toy-related deaths.
According to Child Safety Central, despite the efforts of the CPSC to enforce the regulations and even bans and recalls of specific toys, dangerous toys can still be found for sale in the United States. It is important for parents to be vigilant in monitoring their children's toys and playthings.
"Small balls have stricter guidelines since round objects can completely block the airway. Any ball less than 1.75 inches is banned for sale to children under 3 [years old]," according to the safety watchdog.
