NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Aerosol String Streamers Recalled For Propellant Flammability

WASHINGTON, D.C.- - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today the voluntary recall of five different brands of aerosol string streamers. These products, used like confetti at birthday parties and other gatherings, are hazardous if sprayed near an open flame, due to the flammability of the propellant used with the products.

The companies participating in this recall are Northeast Imports, Inc., Central Falls, RI; Masquerade, Inc., Brooklyn, NY; Topstone Industries, Inc., Danbury, CT; Franco-American Novelty, Co., Inc., Glendale, NY; and Fun World Inc., Carle Place, N.Y.

Tests by the CPSC show that these products, marketed during the past year, are flammable and therefore banned under provisions of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act because of their use by children. Use of these products around flame sources such as birthday candles could result in serious burn injuries if the spray contacts a flame.

The CPSC learned of this problem through consumer complaints to its hotline. Reports of serious burn injuries to both children and adults involving these and similar products have been investigated. Typically the victims are burned during birthday parties when friends or family spray the string streamer near or onto the candles of a birthday cake.

The products are packaged in aerosol cans having various colored plastic overcaps indicating the color of the string streamer inside the can. Individual product identification is as follows:

• Northeast Imports, Inc., Central Falls, RI 3.5 oz. cans having a lithographed or paper label with a green background labeled in part "Streamer Spray"
• Masquerade, Inc., Brooklyn, NY 150 gram cans having a lithographed label with a white background labeled in part "MASQUERADE CRAZY STRINGS"
• Topstone Industries, Inc., Danbury, CT 3.5 oz. cans having a lithographed label with a black background labeled in part "Tricky Fun String Environmentally Safe Contains No Fluorocarbons". (Cans of Tricky Fun String without this statement do not present the flammability hazard and are not being recalled.)
• Franco-American Novelty Co., Inc., Glendale, NY 3.5 oz. cans having a lithographed label with a blue background labeled in part "GOOFY FLYING STRING"
• Fun World Inc., Carle Place, NY 3.5 oz. and 7 oz. cans having a lithographed label reading in part "ITS FUN TYME! STRING CONFETTI" and an added clear adhesive label reading "SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT FLUOROCARBON FREE." "STRING CONFETTI" cans which have had the clear adhesive label removed because of use are also being recalled.

A total of approximately 1,135,000 cans of all five brands of string streamer were sold nationwide during the past year for less than $5.00 per can at retail.

Consumers should immediately discontinue the use of these products and return them to the retail store where purchased for a full refund of the purchase price.