Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 6, 1994                   TAG: 9404060112
SECTION: NATIONAL/INT                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

KIDS' CRAYONS TAINTED BY LEAD

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Tuesday that three brands, including one sold by the chain Toys R Us, present ``a lead poisoning hazard to young children who might eat or chew on these crayons.''

Eight other brands, it said, have lead, ''but not at levels to produce lead poisoning" in typical use.

Carol Fuller, spokeswoman for Toys R Us in Paramus, N.J., said the company was notified of the recall March 29 and removed the crayons from its 249 stores that day.

Ken Giles, a commission spokesman, said the recalled brands represent ``a relatively small percentage of the market.'' The largest selling brand, American-made Crayola, he said, contained no detectable lead. The three Chinese-import crayons deemed most hazardous are ``12 Jumbo Crayons,'' distributed by Concord Enterprises of Los Angeles; ``Safe 48 Non-Toxic I'm a Toys R Us Kid! Crayons;'' and ``12 Crayons, glory'' and ``18 Crayons That Paint,'' distributed from Los Angeles.

Other brands the commission said it was concerned about are:

``64 Crayons, School Quality No. 8064,'' A.J. Cohen Distributors, Hauppauge, N.Y.; ``64 Crayons, CR 64-64 CT,'' Baum Imports, New York; ``12 Super Jumbo Crayons,'' Dynamic Division of Agora International, St. Albans, N.Y.; ``8 Crayons, No. 5 CL 850,'' Dynamic Division of Agora International, St. Albans, N.Y.; ``Fun Time 72 Crayons, No. B541,'' Overseas United, New York; ``64 Crayons, Kidz Biz,'' Bargin Wholesale, Los Angeles; ``64 Crayons, SKU51-02600,'' Universal International, Minneapolis; ``Feido, 12 Crayons, No. CC8812,'' Kipp Brothers, Inc., Indianapolis.