Thomas the TOXIC Tank Engine

The sight of a child putting a toy in their mouth makes just about every parent cringe. Now, there is much more too worry about than a few germs.  More than 1.5 million Thomas the Tank Engine toys were recalled due to toxic levels of lead paint found on the toys.

Lead paint is no joke. It is extremely dangerous especially when interacting with kids. Oh, by the way, it also poses serious threats to the people at the manufacturing plants where these toys are made.

The irresponsible people behind the making of these toys are not alone. There are thousands of companies that produce cheap toys by using sweat shop labor and hazardous materials.

And guess what they will keep doing so as long as we keep buying them. That doesn't mean your child has to have an empty toy chest it just means that you might have to buy toys from a company that cares about your children. There are several companies that manufacture toys without using toxic chemicals.

If you have purchased any of these Thomas the Tank Engine toys, you may be entitled to a replacement.

Recalled Product Name
Red James Engine & Red James’ # 5 Coal Tender
Red Lights & Sounds James Engine & Red James’ #5 Lights & Sounds Coal Tender
James with Team Colors Engine & James with Team Colors #5 Coal Tender
Red Skarloey Engine
Brown & Yellow Old Slow Coach
Red Hook & Ladder Truck & Red Water Tanker Truck
Red Musical Caboose
Red Sodor Line Caboose
Red Coal Car labeled “2006 Day Out With Thomas” on the Side
Red Baggage Car
Red Holiday Caboose
Red “Sodor Mail” Car
Red Fire Brigade Truck
Red Fire Brigade Train
Deluxe Sodor Fire Station
Red Coal Car
Yellow Box Car
Red Stop Sign
Yellow Railroad Crossing Sign
Yellow “Sodor Cargo Company” Cargo Piece
Smelting Yard
Ice Cream Factory

These toys were manufactured in China and were sold in many retail stores. About 75% of toys purchased come from China where it is well documented that laborers work 18-20 hr shifts. Even children are sweat shop laborers. In 2000, Hong Kong’s Sunday Morning Post published a report that children as young as 13 were being used to assemble the toys placed inside McDonald’s “Happy Meals,” and a 2002 NLC report documented child labor in the toy supply chains of Wal-Mart, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Mattel.

The Asia Monitor Resource Center has reported that some of the same workers who spent 70 hours a week assembling toys for “Happy Meals” were also poisoned by acetone, an ingredient in the toys’ plastic that is also used as a solvent in paints.

Parents need to be especially cautious when buying things like teething toys, as it has been proven that many of these toys contain PVC plastics and phthalates (a PVC additive that makes the plastic more flexible)

Here are a few simple tips:

1. Buy your toys from small companies and preferablly local companies. Pay attention to where they are manufactured and if possible how they are made. We will be adding a toy recommendation area to the site soon.

2. Don't give in to the pressure of advertising. Your child doesn't need every new toy that hits the market.

3. Play outside with your child. They will remember the time spent with you forever.

For additional information, contact RC2 Corp. toll-free at (866) 725-4407 between 8 a.m.. and 5 p. m. CT Monday through Thursday and between 8 a.m.. and 11 a.m.. CT Friday

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (866) 725-4407
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908