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Consumer product recall

Pokémon Tokens

Starting date:: July 1, 2009
Posting date:: July 1, 2009
Type of communication:: Consumer Product Recall
Subcategory:: Hobby/Craft Items, Toys
Source of recall:: Health Canada
Issue:: Product Safety, Poisoning Hazard
Audience:: General Public
Identification number:: RA-500002049

Affected products
What you should do

Affected products

Pokémon Tokens

Product description

This recall involves Pokémon tokens. The tokens are thin black plastic discs with the Pokémon logo on one side and a colourful picture of one Pokémon character on the other side. Each token is approximately 3 cm (30 mm) in diameter, which is slightly larger than a toonie.

In total, 17 styles of Pokémon tokens were distributed in Canada within the time period indicated below. Only the 6 tokens, as described below and shown in the photographs, are being recalled:

metallic red: Electivire
speckled gold: Electivire
gold: Munchlax
metallic blue: Metagross
silver: Manaphy
silver: Lucario

The recalled tokens were not sold separately. They were sold with two types of Pokémon products as follows:

a single token was included in every Secret Wonders deck package with cardboard counters and 60 trading cards; or
a single token may have been included in certain packages with one or more 10-card booster packs.

Hazard identified

Pokémon USA conducted testing on their products and advised Health Canada when they found that the thin layer of metallic coating on the six identified tokens contained barium in excess of the allowable concentration limit in Canada. Each token is coated with a small amount, approximately 1 mg, of colourful coating.

Some forms of barium are safely used in medical and commercial applications, while other forms of barium can be toxic, causing adverse health effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps as well as more severe symptoms. Children's toys coated with paint containing barium, in excess of the allowable concentration limit, are strictly prohibited in Canada. There is no exemption to the prohibition for small quantities of coating.

Neither Pokémon USA Inc. nor Health Canada have received any reports of illness or injury to Canadians related to the use of these tokens.

Number sold

Approximately 290,680 of the recalled tokens were sold at the following retailers in all provinces and territories (except Quebec): Loblaws, London Drugs, Shoppers Drug Mart, Toys 'R' Us, Walmart, and Zellers.