Company Recalls SpongeBob SquarePants Address Books and Journals

America’s tryst with lead-tainted Chinese products continues unabated. This time it is the turn of Martin Designs Inc., an importer based out of Ohio, to recall approximately a quarter of a million SpongeBob SquarePants journals and address books and journals manufactured in China.

The basis for withdrawal of these products is the same as for earlier instances – presence of lead exceeding permissible levels. Making this disclosure, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said these products were likely to have hazardous quantities of lead paint.

The agency said it received notification from Martin Designs to the effect that the address books and journals tested contained lead above permissible levels in the paint. The permissible level of lead in paint is 0.06 percent. Any product having lead above this margin is subject to a recall, the agency said.

The recall covers those SpongeBob SquarePants journals and address books sold in stores between June 2006 and July 2007. These products are spiral-bound with black metal, with the SpongeBob SquarePants character featured on the front cover in different costumes.

The CPSC also listed the UPC code for both the journals as well as the address books in its release. The UPC codes for the journals are 80773002260, 80773075501, and 80773007551. The code for the address books is 80773075501.

People who have bought the journals and address books during the stipulated period have been advised to throw away the products and return the UPC code to Martin Designs Inc. for a full refund. The returned UPC codes should be addressed thus – Attention: Product Recall, 605 Westland Dr., Ashland OH 44805.

The damage caused by lead in children is serious. Any child consuming high quantities of lead can suffer from neural as well as cerebral damage. The company, however, has said it had not received any information so far about injuries to children as a result of the lead in the products.