Aside from the services we offer to Families and Child Care Providers, we also have services available to anyone in our community.
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These services include:
To inquire about any of these services, please call (707) 863-3950. Ask for our Resource & Referral Department. |
Recall for Toys Containing Lead September 5, 2007 Contact: Terry Schmidtbauer at 784-6765 Ronald W. Chapman, MD, MPH, 784-8600 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFER LOCAL DISPOSAL TIPS FOR RECALLED TOYS CONTAINING LEAD Due to a massive recall of popular children’s toys containing lead, Solano County Resource Management, Environmental Health Division and Solano County Public Health officials have teamed together to offer parents and caregivers tips on how to properly return or dispose of recalled toys locally. “Our main concern is to get toys known to contain lead away from children and to provide safe, appropriate disposal of the items,” said Terry Schmidtbauer Solano County Environmental Health Manager. “First, parents should check the recall listing for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on line at www.cpsc.gov or the Center for Disease Control at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/Recalls/allhazards.htm to see if any toys they own are on the recall lists. Once a toy is confirmed to be on the recall list, the parent should immediately remove it,” Schmidtbauer said. “The best option is to return it directly to the manufacturer for a safe replacement or refund.” These websites give information on exactly how to return the toys to the manufacturer for refunds. No receipt or original packaging is necessary. Mattel-Fisher Price has a recall refund program in place with information on its web site, www.service.mattel.com, and at specific hotlines: "CARS" Sarge character diecast vehicle recall hotline: 1-800-916-4997; Fisher-Price toys lead paint recall hotline: 1-800-916-4498; Magnet hazard recall hotline: 1-888-597-6597. The second option for returning a recalled toy is to return the toy to an area retailer where it was purchased, however to do this, parents need to have a receipt in order to get a refund. If the item can’t be returned to the store where it was purchased or to the manufacturer, it should be taken to a local household hazardous waste disposal center. Solano County Environmental Health has partnered with local household hazardous waste disposal companies to take the contaminated items. These facilities are accepting toys containing lead from all Solano County residents during regular business hours:
Napa-Vallejo HHW Collection Facility 889 A Devlin Road, American Canyon (800) 984-9661 9am-4pm every Friday and Saturday Solano Garbage Company 2901 Industrial Court, Fairfield (707) 439-2800 9am-2pm. the 2nd and 4th Saturdays Dixon/Vacaville Sanitary Service Recycling Center 855 ˝ Davis St., Vacaville (707) 678-4026 9am-2pm, 1st and 3rd Saturdays “Lead is highly toxic, especially to children and pregnant women,” said Ronald W. Chapman, MD, MPH, Health Officer and Deputy Director for Solano County Public Health. “Lead poisoning is the most common and preventable environmental illness among children ages one through six because they spend time on floor, exploring their surroundings with their hands and mouths. “Even low levels of lead exposure can result in reduced IQ, learning disabilities including attention deficit disorders, stunted growth, impaired hearing and kidney damage. High levels of lead may cause mental retardation, coma and death. Some children will show no symptoms, while others may suffer a host of symptoms such as appetite loss, stomach pain, yellow skin, excessive tiredness, weakness, weight loss insomnia, dizziness, tremors, headache, numbness, hyperactivity and anxiety.” The Solano County Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program advises parents to routinely check recall lists due to the recent prevalence of lead in foreign-made products including toys, jewelry and some specialty candies from Mexico, said Anne Shapiro, Public Health Nurse, and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Coordinator. Shapiro also urges caution with the use of home remedies and cosmetics. Lead testing swabs can be purchased at most hardware stores and should be used according to package instructions. (Anne/Elena - want to insert reliability info? Not as accurate as a lab test? Pick up low levels of lead?) For more information about lead poisoning prevention, call 553-5482 or visit the National Center for Environmental Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program | Toys and Childhood Lead Exposure CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/faq/toys.htm. For more information about appropriate return and disposal of toys call ????? 784-6765? And visit www.cpsc.gov and http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/Recalls/allhazards.htm
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