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Reebok Fined $1 Million for Lead-Laden Bracelets

Minneapolis child, 4, died after swallowing pendant

March 19, 2008
Reebok, the athletic shoe company, has agreed to pay a $1 million fine, the largest ever for a Federal Hazardous Substances Act violation, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The penalty, which follows a 2006 recall of 300,000 bracelets, settles allegations that the company imported and distributed charm bracelets that contained toxic levels of lead. The charm bracelets were provided as gifts with the purchase of various styles of children's footwear.

In March 2006, a 4-year-old boy from Minneapolis who swallowed the bracelet's heart-shaped pendant died.

The Hazardous Substances Act bans toxic levels of accessible lead in toys and other children's products. CPSC's enforcement policy urges manufacturers of children's metal jewelry to keep lead content below 0.06% by weight.

"This civil penalty sends a clear message that the CPSC will not allow companies to put children's safety at risk," said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. "Preventing dangerous metal jewelry from reaching the hands of children is a priority for our agency."

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