More Than A Number

Recently McDonald’s recalled 12 million promotional glasses it had sold to customers. The “Shrek” drinking glasses were found to be cadmium tainted and therefore unsafe for human use. However, the interesting thing to not here is that the entire process was voluntary.

The glasses were actually within federal guidelines for cadmium. The initial testing by a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved lab gave the company the go ahead to use the glasses. However, McDonald’s later decided to recall these glasses because the CPSC was revising its standards. Under the new standards, the glasses would have been illegal, so in order to avoid any future embarrassment and, obviously, harm to its customers the company decided to take some pre-emptive action.

The company is giving a full refund to its customers and has put up information on its website as to how customers can go about getting it. It has also stated that other promotional items and toys given through Happy Meals are not subject to the callback.

Cadmium is a toxic metal that is also a known carcinogen. It can cause severe kidney problems as well as bone softening. In very young children, the substance can lead to a hindrance of brain development. The danger from the glasses would be from hand to mouth contact. As in, children touching the outside of the glass and then putting the unwashed hand in their mouth.

The recall has got many worried about other products that they have used or have in their collections. They are worried about what they have or could have been exposed to without their knowledge. The new standards have not been made official, but under them many promotional products could face a massive recall.