McDonald's to recall 12 million 'Shrek' glasses, citing cadmium health risks

[Magic Mom]

Reporting from Washington — McDonald's will recall about 12 million "Shrek" drinking glasses because federal regulators found they contain the toxic metal cadmium, which poses health risks.

The glasses have been sold for $2 apiece at McDonald's restaurants across the country as a promotional tie-in with the movie "Shrek Forever After." Purchasers will be advised to keep them away from children and to return them to McDonald's for a refund.

The recall, which will be officially announced Friday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, was set in motion by an anonymous tip to Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) last week. She alerted the commission, which tested the glasses and confirmed the presence of cadmium in the paint used for the decorative characters. Cadmium is a carcinogen and can cause kidney, lung, intestinal and bone damage.


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Speier's office said McDonald's voluntarily agreed to recall the glasses at the urging of the commission.

A McDonald's spokesman, Walt Riker, said in an interview: "We've had a good, constructive two-way dialogue with the congresswoman's office and with the Consumer Product Safety Commission."

Although Speier commended McDonald's for acting quickly, her office said the fast-food giant and other corporations must "do a better job of thoroughly reviewing their domestic and international supply chains to keep products with potentially dangerous elements from ever hitting their shelves."

It was not immediately known where the glasses were produced or how the paint used in the "Shrek" characters came to contain cadmium.

"Our children's health should not depend on the consciences of anonymous sources," Speier said. "Although McDonald's did the right thing by recalling these products, we need stronger testing standards to ensure that all children's products are proven safe before they hit the shelves. Cadmium is a toxic substance that is extremely dangerous to the developmental health of children."

The commission declined to comment Thursday evening. In the past, the commission has warned manufacturers to avoid cadmium in children's products, and last month it ordered the recall of children's jewelry contaminated by the toxic metal.

Speier said the McDonald's episode pointed to the need for stronger safety measures. Earlier in the year, she introduced legislation banning cadmium and other toxic metals from children's jewelry.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I wonder if people who bought them for collectible reasons (my neighbor) only will still take theirs back? I'm thinking if they are up on a shelf, not being touched, or used, what's the harm?

The article I read on Yahoo was pretty funny, though. I don't know if they realized how harshly they worded the following, but I LOL'ed.

forcing the burger giant to recall 12 million of the cheap U.S.-made collectibles

 

[of the seas]

I already used mine! They're going back. My dd will be upset, she loved the one with Fiona.

 

[Darsa]

I'll tell ya, I just can't fathom how people survived before all of the research was done to find out what was bad for ya!

(I was planning to buy a set of these if my DH got the job he applied for and interviewed for... haven't heard yet so I guess that's a good thing, lol!)

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I'll tell ya, I just can't fathom how people survived before all of the research was done to find out what was bad for ya!

(I was planning to buy a set of these if my DH got the job he applied for and interviewed for... haven't heard yet so I guess that's a good thing, lol!)

I agree with you. I remember back in the 80's we had Smurfs glasses, Star Wars glasses, etc. from Burger King. I shudder to think what I was probably drinking. Of course, I'm okay, so who knows?

 

[luvmy3]

I wonder if there will be recalls on all this other stuff? Cadmium is in alot more items that we use everyday, if these glasses are recalled there must be some pretty high levels. Its too bad, I really like my Puss In Boots glass

http://www.arltma.com/CadmiumToxDoc.htm

 

[binny]

Bummer! We got them all through the "House Party" party My kids loved them!

 

[Magpie]

I'm looking at my glasses and wondering how big the risk is...

The paint is on the outside and doesn't go all the way up the glass, at least not on the Fiona glasses we have. There's a good inch and a half all around the rim that's just glass, so it's unlikely your lips would ever touch the paint anyway.

How big of a risk is this, really?

And what about all the other McDonald's glasses we have been using for years, like the Olympics ones, and the first Shrek series? How are they different?

 

[npmommie]

well I guess we aren't getting those!
we have some from the last time there was a shrek movie.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I'm looking at my glasses and wondering how big the risk is...

The paint is on the outside and doesn't go all the way up the glass, at least not on the Fiona glasses we have. There's a good inch and a half all around the rim that's just glass, so it's unlikely your lips would ever touch the paint anyway.

How big of a risk is this, really?

And what about all the other McDonald's glasses we have been using for years, like the Olympics ones, and the first Shrek series? How are they different?

A guy on the news says the risk is really with young kids, or when you wash them. With young kids they can pick up the glass, getting some of the paint/Cadmium on their hands, and then put their hands in their mouths. Also, washing them could wash some of the toxic substance onto your hands, towels, or other dishes.

I guess it's up to the individual on what to do. It seems that people are waiting to see if McDonald's offers a good enough reason to take them back, before they make that decision.

 

[Magpie]

Okay, well after reading the report here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37504287/ns/health-food_safety/

"A very small amount of cadmium can come to the surface of the glass, and in order to be as protective as possible of children, CPSC and McDonald's worked together on this recall," said CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson. He would not specify the amounts of cadmium that leached from the paint in tests, but said the amounts were "slightly above the protective level currently being developed by the agency."

And keeping in mind that we do not have small children, are not prone to licking the outsides of our glasses, and tend to throw things away when they start looking worn or chipped...

I think we'll keep our Shrek glasses. For now. We don't use them every day, anyway.

However, if McDonalds wants to offer me nice NEW glasses in exchange, then I'm right in there.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Okay, well after reading the report here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37504287/ns/health-food_safety/



And keeping in mind that we do not have small children, are not prone to licking the outsides of our glasses, and tend to throw things away when they start looking worn or chipped...

I think we'll keep our Shrek glasses. For now. We don't use them every day, anyway.

However, if McDonalds wants to offer me nice NEW glasses in exchange, then I'm right in there.

My DD is old enough to decide if she will keep or return her glass. I don't know that she plans to use it.

What about all the old Shrek and Disney glasses we purchased at McD's years ago? We use them a lot and I would miss being able to. They have a great weight and you don't have to worry as much about breaking them like some other drinking glasses.

 

[C.Ann]

Called DD today to see if she had purchased them and sure enough, she had.. She and my DGD have already used them - and DD is very disappointed over having to return them - but I guess safe is better than sorry..

 

[Imzadi]

I agree with you. I remember back in the 80's we had Smurfs glasses, Star Wars glasses, etc. from Burger King. I shudder to think what I was probably drinking. Of course, I'm okay, so who knows?

A guy on the news says the risk is really with young kids, or when you wash them. With young kids they can pick up the glass, getting some of the paint/Cadmium on their hands, and then put their hands in their mouths. Also, washing them could wash some of the toxic substance onto your hands, towels, or other dishes.

Cadmium IS very toxic. As an artist who has learned to mix and make my own glazes, artists have known for CENTURIES that cadmium is dangerous. There are museums full of pottery from the 5th century in China & Japan, where the adult emperors who drank from those tea cups all died from lead poisoning. Cadmium too, like lead, is also dangerous.

Cadmium is no longer used in artist's paints either, even though shade of red is referred to as "cadmium red" hue. There are reports that Van Gogh, as well as other painters, possibly went mad & died from the cadmium in paints back then. That's why they were called "crazy artists."

You can keep your glasses if you do not use them and leave them on your shelves, only minimally handling them. The problem comes when, what happens years or decades from now, when your children's children accidentally repeatedly handle & drinks from the glasses, or they end up at estate garage sales, and someone unsuspectingly uses them? How will you regulate their usage in years to come? Just because YOU don't use them doesn't mean they won't accidentally end up in the hands (literally) and the mouths of someone who will use them, on a daily basis.

A little FYI: The U.S. regulations, (OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration,) for usage and handling of paints & glazes are very strict. (Thank God!) But, pottery, glasses, and paints you get from OTHER countries do NOT have the same regulations. It's buyer beware. Be very careful when you buy imported pottery, china & painted/glazed glasses. Like these glasses, you don't know what you are getting, if they aren't tested according to U.S. regulations.

I suspect these glasses were made in China.

 

[Missy1961]

Cadmium IS very toxic. As a ceramic artist who has learned to mix and make my own glazes, potters have known for CENTURIES that cadmium is dangerous. There are museums full of pottery from the 5th century in China & Japan, where the adult emperors who drank from those tea cups all died from lead poisoning. It is NOT just a child hazard. Lead is lead.

Cadmium is no longer used in artist's paints either, even though shade of red is referred to as "cadmium red" hue. There are reports that Van Gogh, as well as other painters, possibly went mad & died from the lead in paints back then. That's why they were called "crazy artists."

You can keep your glasses if you do not use them and leave them on your shelves, only minimally handling them. The problem comes when, what happens years or decades from now, when your children's children accidentally drinks from the glasses, or they end up at estate garage sales, and someone unsuspectingly uses them? How will you regulate their usage in years to come? Just because YOU don't use them doesn't mean they won't accidentally end up in the hands (literally) and the mouths of someone who will use them, on a daily basis.

A little FYI: The U.S. regulations, (OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration,) for usage and handling of paints & glazes are very strict. (Thank God!) But, pottery, glasses, and paints you get from OTHER countries do NOT have the same regulations. It's buyer beware. Be very careful when you buy imported pottery, china & painted/glazed glasses. Like these glasses, you don't know what you are getting, if they aren't tested according to U.S. regulations.

I suspect these glasses were made in China.

I heard they were made in New Jersey.

 

[Imzadi]

That's unbelievable, even for NJ.

 

[Magpie]

I'm less concerned because the amount of cadmium present is being described as being only marginally over the "protective" level, which is apparently still in the process of being established.

I don't know exactly what a "protective" level is, but since it hasn't been decided yet, I guessing it's more stringent than the "minimum safe" level.

Apparently this recall is nothing at all like the recent recall in which children's jewellery had to be taken off the market for containing dangerous amounts of cadmium.

And there's been NO recall at all for these sports drinks:

http://news.discovery.com/human/protein-drinks-packing-a-poisonous-wallop.html

 

[hentob]

That's unbelievable, even for NJ.

You made me laugh

 

[dakcp2001]

Awwww, I went to great lengths to get the ones I wanted! The local MCD's was always OUT. I dont generally eat there, but wanted a Donkey Glass & a Puss in Boots glass. Now that I have em, I gotta bring them back? What a pita!

I love my donkey glass. But not enough to use it haha maybe I could use it as a planter or pencil cup.


BTW has anyone returned one yet? ANy coupons or other prize as an apology for making me drive back there?

 

[gallaj0]

Folks, if you're thinking of keeping them for yourselves as "collectibles" or because you think you won't be "licking the outside", please make sure that in 30-40 years, when you're cleaning out the cabinets, or your family is cleaning out after you, that you made sure to mention in your will that you have poisonous glasses in the house, and they should be treated as hazardous waste. The Federal government has made it a "actionable" to sell or pass on items that have been considered dangerous. People selling "recalled" items at yard sales, flea market, or giving items to Goodwill can be held criminally liable for the items if dangerous.