Green Sprouts is voluntarily recalling 10,500 bottles and cups designed for toddlers because of a risk to lead exposure.
The bases of the cups and bottles may fall apart, exposing a solder dot that contains lead, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Lead ingestion can cause serious adverse health effects, including growth and development delays.
Parents are advised to discard the affected products immediately. Green Sprouts is offering refunds to consumers who purchased the cups and bottles.
The affected products include:
• 6-ounce Stainless Steel Sippy Cup with tracking numbers 29218V06985 or 35719V06985
• 6-ounce Stainless Steel Sip & Straw Cup with the tracking number 33020V06985
• 8-ounce Stainless Steel Straw Bottle with tracking numbers 29218V06985 or 35719V06985
The cups and bottles were manufactured in several colors: aqua, green, grey, navy and pink. Buy Buy Baby and Whole Foods stores sold them from January 2020 through September 2022. They also were sold online during that time at Amazon, Buy Buy Baby and Bed Bath & Beyond. They cost $14-19.
There have been no reports of injury from the products, but there have been seven known cases of the base breaking and exposing lead, the CPSC said.
According to Green Sprouts, the bases weren’t tested in a safety lab because the lead component was not meant to be exposed during normal use.
“There is negligible risk to the health and safety of users,” the company said on its website. “We are undertaking the costs and challenges of this recall voluntarily because our customers. health and safety must come first.
“As we approach the redesign of these products, whose benefits for keeping drinks cold safely have made them a popular choice for parents, we will ensure that lead is not used as a soldering material, no matter whether it would be accessible.”
Children younger than age 6 are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning. At high levels, it can lead to death.
Symptoms of lead poisoning include developmental delays, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and sluggishness, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, hearing loss and seizures.
Other possible sources of lead exposure include paint in older homes, lead-contaminated soil, some toys, pottery, cosmetics and medicines. Family members who are exposed to lead at work can bring it home on their clothes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers resources on how to reduce lead exposure in one’s home.
To obtain a refund, consumers can call Green Sprouts by calling 800-876-1574 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by emailing [email protected]. According to the company, the lid and spout from the recalled products can be safely used with other Green Sprouts cups and bottles.