December 17, 2004 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the manufacturer named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Metallic necklaces

Units: About 155,000

Manufacturer: Raymond Geddes Co. Inc., of Baltimore, Md.

Hazard: The necklaces contain high levels of lead. CPSC regulations ban children's products from containing high levels of lead due to the risk of lead poisoning resulting from contact with these products. The necklaces also contain a sharp point, posing a laceration hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: The company has not received any reports of incidents. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

Description: The recalled necklaces have medallions that came in four different designs depicting frogs, dolphins with a small bead on the tail, a sunshine smiley face and an alien face on a starburst. The medallion is on a black rope chain surrounded by a metallic bead with a coil section.

Sold through: Mail order catalogs nationwide and on the Internet from August 1998 through November 2004 for about $1.

Manufactured in: China.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take these necklaces away from young children and contact the company to receive a refund.

Consumer Contact : Call Raymond Geddes toll-free at (888) 431-1722 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Consumers also can contact the company via e-mail at: [email protected]

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.