CPSC, Target Corporation Announce Recall of Multicolored Sidewalk Chalk

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #04032) was formally reported on November 13, 2003. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Agglo Corporation, of Hong Kong is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate 26,000 packages units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The multicolored sidewalk chalk contains high levels of lead, posing a risk of poisoning to young children. The Wisconsin Department of Health tested the chalk and identified the lead in the chalk. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should return the multicolored sidewalk chalk to Target stores for a refund. — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 23 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.