50 million shades recalled for strangulation risk

Video: CPSC: Recall ties up longtime loose ends

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   >>> begins now.

   >>> good evening. the federal government reaches about as far into american homes as they possibly could and did it through the windows. they are telling all of us it's for our own good. today they launched one of the largest product recalls in american history . it has to do with window blinds . 50 million different window treatments and the fact they all have cords and the cords can pose a danger to toddlers. it is so big it couldn't help to cause questions about the solution exceeding the size of the problem and the role common sense might have to play in everyday household life. we begin tonight with nbc's tom costello in our washington newsroom. good evening.

   >> reporter: hi, brian. for years the window covering industry and consumer product safety commission issued recall after recall. in just the last four months, 20 recalls, because of a strangulation risk to children. now the agency says it's putting its foot down. it's yet another huge recall. the government wants virtually every roman shade and roll-up blind in homes where children are present returned or fixed. that's 50 million.

   >> we want to make sure children and families are safe.

   >> reporter: it's not a new issue. with today's recall, the cpsc has called back more than 125 million shades and blinds since 2000 . what is the risk with something like this?

   >> this is a roll-up shade. the risk is this cord becomes detached and babies have strangled or nearly strangled in this cord.

   >> this is enough right here to strangle a child?

   >> it is.

   >> reporter: it nearly happened to 18-month-old collier. his parents rushed to the crib after hearing his cries and found the cord cutting into his neck.

   >> opened up the door to find his neck tangled up in the cord from his roman shade. it was in a window not too, too far from his crib.

   >> it was just very, very scary.

   >> reporter: collier, one of 16 children nationwide to nearly strangle in the cord from roman shades and roll-up blinds. eight other children have died. even a typical horizontal blind like this one can pose a hidden danger if the cord comes loose providing enough of a noose to strangle a baby. the fix is to attach a plastic clip up here to prevent the cord from moving. the recall blinds are from some of the biggest retailers in the country, including walmart, pottery barn , jc pennsylvaniay, ikea and target. critics say it's unrealistic to recall 50 million of them. why is this not government overreach?

   >> this is the consumer product safety commission . we protect consumers.

   >> reporter: the cpsc says the industry has not moved soon enough to impose safety. tonight the industry insists it has been working with cspc all along and is offering these free repair kits to anyone who asks for one.

   >> call it the libertarian question, common sense question question that goes to the heart of your question to her. american homes are full of dangerous things. your question about government overreach?

   >> reporter: the cpsc is urging parents to move the cribs and beds away from any window, any blind. it all makes sense and we should be following that.

   >> tom costello, thanks.

   >>> one more recall to tell

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