PlainRecalls

MillerKnoll Recalls Desk and Storage Units Due to Violation of the Federal Lead Paint Ban; Lead Poisoning Hazard (Recall Alert)

Reported: October 6, 2022 Initiated: October 6, 2022 #23701 About 700 units

MillerKnoll Inc., formerly known as Herman Miller Inc., of Zeeland, Michigan issued this CPSC recall on October 6, 2022. Classified as Moderate severity. Approximately About 700 units are affected. The recall was issued because: The surface paint on the tan side panels of the desks and storage units contains levels of lead that exceed the federal…. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #23701) was formally reported on October 6, 2022. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. MillerKnoll Inc., formerly known as Herman Miller Inc., of Zeeland, Michigan is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 700 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The surface paint on the tan side panels of the desks and storage units contains levels of lead that exceed the federal lead paint ban, posing a lead poisoning hazard. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can… 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 stop using the recalled desks and storage units immediately. Contact MillerKnoll for either a full refund and free pickup of the desks and storage units, or to receive a free repair … — 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 6 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 4 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.

Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity1Class I (Critical)Class II (Moderate)Class III (Low)
Recall Distribution by Severity Class

Severity

Moderate

Units Affected

About 700

Related Recalls

6

6 from same agency

Product Description

This recall involves Eames Storage Units (ESU) and Eames Desk Units (EDU). The units are made from wood and steel joined with metal fasteners. They were sold in two color schemes: natural color that includes tan, gray, white and black panels; and multicolor that includes tan, white, black, red, yellow and blue panels. The product number is printed on the label located on the bottom surface of the bottom panel, rear left of the Eames Storage Units (ESU) and Eames Desk Units (EDU) beneath the black Herman Miller medallion. The SKU number may appear on consumers' product order confirmation. The violative tan panel is utilized in the following desks and storage units: Recalled Eames Storage/Desk Units Product Number SKU Number Tan Panel Description ESU150.ZCNC 294867 (1 high, 1 wide, zinc base, natural color) ESU150.BUNC 100074719 (1 high, 1 wide, black base, natural color) ESU100.ZCNC 281409 (1 high, 2 wide, zinc base, natural color) ESU100.BUNC 9046102 (1 high, 2 wide, black base, natural color) ESU100.ZCW9 194907 (1 high, 2 wide, zinc base, multicolor) ESU100.BUW9 100074720 (1 high, 2 wide, black base, multicolor) ESU201.ZCNC 294874 (2 wide, 2 high, zinc base, natural color) ESU201.ZCW9 100061150 (2 wide, 2 high, zinc base, multicolor) ESU201.BUNC 100074335 (2 wide, 2 high, black base, natural color) ESU201.BUW9 100074551 (2 wide, 2 high, black base, multicolor) ESU230.ZCNC 194891 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, zinc base, natural color) ESU230.ZCW9 277310 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, zinc base, multicolor) ESU230.BUNC 9046157 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, black base, natural color) ESU230.BUW9 100074331 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, black base, multicolor) ESU420.ZCNC 194877 (2 wide, 4 high, zinc base, natural color) ESU420.ZCW9 100158166 (2 wide, 4 high, zinc base, multicolor) ESU420.BU.NC 100159933 (2 wide, 4 high, black base, natural color) ESU420.BU.W9 10074559 (2 wide, 4 high, black base, multicolor) EDU10.ZC.NC 100074538 (open storage, zinc frame, natural color) EDU10.BU.NC 100074316 (open storage, black frame, natural color)

Reason for Recall

The surface paint on the tan side panels of the desks and storage units contains levels of lead that exceed the federal lead paint ban, posing a lead poisoning hazard. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

Remedy

Consumers should stop using the recalled desks and storage units immediately. Contact MillerKnoll for either a full refund and free pickup of the desks and storage units, or to receive a free repair kit that includes a replacement panel requiring a screwdriver and a needle nose plier for consumers to install. MillerKnoll is contacting all purchasers directly.

Recall Profile

Structured summary of the CPSC recall record
Attribute Value
Agency U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Severity class Moderate
Status Active
Recall number 23701
Date reported October 6, 2022
Date initiated October 6, 2022
Recalling firm MillerKnoll Inc., formerly known as Herman Miller Inc., of Zeeland, Michigan
Units affected About 700
Distribution Not disclosed

Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Scale of Impact

About 700 units affected — limited or regional distribution scale.

Regional (<10K units) ✓ This recall
Multi-state (10K – 100K units)
Large-scale (100K – 1M units)
Massive (≥1M units)

Bracket cutoffs follow federal recall-disclosure conventions; bar widths scale linearly within each bracket. Source: PlainRecalls analysis of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission filings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What product was recalled?
This recall involves Eames Storage Units (ESU) and Eames Desk Units (EDU). The units are made from wood and steel joined with metal fasteners. They were sold in two color schemes: natural color that includes tan, gray, white and black panels; and multicolor that includes tan, white, black, red, yellow and blue panels. The product number is printed on the label located on the bottom surface of the bottom panel, rear left of the Eames Storage Units (ESU) and Eames Desk Units (EDU) beneath the black Herman Miller medallion. The SKU number may appear on consumers' product order confirmation. The violative tan panel is utilized in the following desks and storage units: Recalled Eames Storage/Desk Units Product Number SKU Number Tan Panel Description ESU150.ZCNC 294867 (1 high, 1 wide, zinc base, natural color) ESU150.BUNC 100074719 (1 high, 1 wide, black base, natural color) ESU100.ZCNC 281409 (1 high, 2 wide, zinc base, natural color) ESU100.BUNC 9046102 (1 high, 2 wide, black base, natural color) ESU100.ZCW9 194907 (1 high, 2 wide, zinc base, multicolor) ESU100.BUW9 100074720 (1 high, 2 wide, black base, multicolor) ESU201.ZCNC 294874 (2 wide, 2 high, zinc base, natural color) ESU201.ZCW9 100061150 (2 wide, 2 high, zinc base, multicolor) ESU201.BUNC 100074335 (2 wide, 2 high, black base, natural color) ESU201.BUW9 100074551 (2 wide, 2 high, black base, multicolor) ESU230.ZCNC 194891 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, zinc base, natural color) ESU230.ZCW9 277310 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, zinc base, multicolor) ESU230.BUNC 9046157 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, black base, natural color) ESU230.BUW9 100074331 (2 wide, 2 high, doors, black base, multicolor) ESU420.ZCNC 194877 (2 wide, 4 high, zinc base, natural color) ESU420.ZCW9 100158166 (2 wide, 4 high, zinc base, multicolor) ESU420.BU.NC 100159933 (2 wide, 4 high, black base, natural color) ESU420.BU.W9 10074559 (2 wide, 4 high, black base, multicolor) EDU10.ZC.NC 100074538 (open storage, zinc frame, natural color) EDU10.BU.NC 100074316 (open storage, black frame, natural color). Recalled by MillerKnoll Inc., formerly known as Herman Miller Inc., of Zeeland, Michigan. Units affected: About 700.
Why was this product recalled?
The surface paint on the tan side panels of the desks and storage units contains levels of lead that exceed the federal lead paint ban, posing a lead poisoning hazard. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.
What should consumers do?
Consumers should stop using the recalled desks and storage units immediately. Contact MillerKnoll for either a full refund and free pickup of the desks and storage units, or to receive a free repair kit that includes a replacement panel requiring a screwdriver and a needle nose plier for consumers to install. MillerKnoll is contacting all purchasers directly.
Which agency issued this recall?
This recall was issued by the CPSC on October 6, 2022. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 23701.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall?
Check the product description and recall number (23701) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product?
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.

Recall Context

Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.

Nearby Recalls in This Category

Other recalls in the same product category — useful for spotting patterns across the same defect class or manufacturer.

Compare this recall with Infant Walkers Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or De… →

Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.

  • Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
  • Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
  • Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
  • Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)

Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.

All federal data sources used on this page

Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).