Advisory

2006-13
March 29, 2006
For immediate release

Health Canada advises Canadians of high lead levels in children's Reebok charm bracelet

OTTAWA - Health Canada is advising the Canadian public that a children's metal charm bracelet which was provided as a free gift with children's Reebok shoes, has been recalled due to high lead levels. These bracelets should be removed immediately from children's reach and disposed of in normal household waste in a manner which is no longer accessible to children.

The heart-shaped charm on the bracelet may contain a very high level of lead and pose a risk of lead poisoning to children if sucked, chewed or swallowed. One of the charms has been linked to the death from lead poisoning of a four-year-old Minnesota boy, on February 22, 2006 who had ingested one of the charms.

Reebok International is recalling about 300,000 of the bracelets, which were manufactured in China, from stores in the United States and Canada. Approximately 6140 bracelets were distributed in Canada. Health Canada inspectors will follow up with the affected stores in Canada to make sure that all the bracelets have been removed from sale. The shoes in question were sold at major shoe stores between May 2004 and March 2006.

The bracelet is an 8 inch long chain link bracelet. It is silver in colour and has a heart-shaped charm attached to the chain. The name "Reebok" is engraved on one side of the charm. The charm bracelet was distributed with various styles of children's Reebok footwear.

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If a child has been observed sucking or chewing on the charm, and you suspect that lead poisoning may have occurred, contact your family physician who can order a simple blood test to measure the child's blood lead level. If you notice or suspect that a child has swallowed a leaded item, contact your local poison control centre immediately.

There is no lead exposure risk associated with wearing the bracelet, but because the health risks associated with mouthing or swallowing the bracelet or the charm are very serious, no child should have access to the bracelet. To date, Health Canada has not received any reports of lead poisoning incidents in Canada associated with the bracelet.

For further information, consumers can contact the Health Canada Product Safety office nearest them, by calling 1-866-662-0666 toll-free, or e-mail cps-spc@hc-sc.gc.ca (if contacting via e-mail, please indicate the province or territory from which you are corresponding).

The import, advertisement or sale in Canada of jewellery intended for children under 15 years of age is illegal under the Children's Jewellery Regulations, which came into effect on June 1, 2005, unless the jewellery contains not more than 600 mg/kg of total lead and not more than 90 mg/kg of migratable lead, when tested in accordance with good laboratory practices.

For more information regarding the risks of lead exposure, visit It's Your Health - Effects of Lead on Human Health.

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Media Enquiries:
Paul Duchesne
Health Canada
(613) 954-4807

Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709