In August, Mattel Inc. recalled 7.3 million Polly Pocket play sets with small magnets that could come loose and, if swallowed, tear holes in a child's digestive system.
Hearing that, Lisa Davis didn't think twice about removing the toys from her 5-year-old daughter's room and "chucking them in the trash" rather than returning the items for a replacement.
"It's just not worth my time to go through the hassle," Davis said. "It's easier to quietly stick them in the trash when my daughter's not looking."
This year, manufacturers and retailers have issued a steady drumbeat of recalls for unsafe items including dolls, baby cribs, lunchboxes and pet food. But despite widespread media attention, companies often get back just a handful of items.
The challenge for officials is determining whether recall announcements are missing their intended targets. And if consumers are simply ignoring instructions, are they throwing out the recalled products or leaving potentially dangerous things in their homes?
The meager returns have spurred safety officials to launch initiatives aimed at getting harmful products out of the public's hands, including an e-mail program that notifies consumers about recalls. And the House on Tuesday approved a bill -- named after a Chicago toddler who smothered in a portable crib long after its recall -- that would force manufacturers of many children's products to keep track of who buys them.
"We do a very good job of getting dangerous products off store shelves, but our greater challenge is to get dangerous products out of people's homes," said Scott Wolfson, spokesman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Last year, Target Corp. recalled 190,500 Kool Toyz, warning parents that the play sets could contain harmful levels of lead and sharp points that could cut their children. But after issuing news releases and posting in-store recall announcements, the Minneapolis-based retailer reported it had recovered just 766 play sets, or less than 1% of the units included in the recall.
In May, Target recalled 5,000 Anima Bamboo Collection Games, cautioning that the paint on the colorful game pieces could pose a lead hazard. None of the units were returned.
"We agree that product safety is an important issue and believe that the solution to ensure safety and possibly increase recall response lies in the best thinking between manufacturers, retailers and the government," said Target spokeswoman Brie Heath, who did not offer an explanation for the company's low return rate.
