Recalled product - Russell Hobbs Mona Cordless Jug Kettles

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QUESTION: Recalled product - Russell Hobbs Mona Cordless Jug Kettles, 31 Jan 2006, Western Australia

Hello, I am wondering if there has been any feed back or additional information about this recalled product.
"Salton, Inc. Announces a Nationwide Recall of Approximately 2,700 Russell Hobbs Mona Cordless Jug Kettles Due to Possible Lead Risk", Salton Incorporated
I was unaware of the recall and had been using the kettle to boil water for baby formula - baby now 19 months old. Only found out about the lead contamination in October 05 when I contacted Russell Hobbs/Salton regarding rust on the kettle. We all have high lead levels as a result of using this kettle and have been advised against future pregnancy until levels lower. I don't honestly know very much about lead except that it is toxic. Have you had any contact from people who have used these kettles? Thanks

ANSWER: 08 Feb 2006

Dear Madam,
Sorry for delay in replying to you.
There was surely this recalling of the product of Russell Hobbs kettles due to Lead Risk and to our knowledge there is one person who had contacted for the same reason. I am writing all her contact details to you, so that you can talk to her about the same. Her name is Louise and the mobile is 0403975344. Her email ID is m.law@iinet.net.au.
If you like you can also contact Michael Frankel on his email ID mfrankel5@nyc.rr.com and ask your further queries.
Also I am pasting the e-mail conversations that followed during that period with this issue between one of our clients question and answers to it and some other attachments too, which I am sure will be helpful to you.

Question: We rang the General Manager of Saltin in Australia who said to my husband not to bother going to the doctor for a PbB for our 5 month old baby as there was just a little too much lead solder in the Russell Hobbs kettles.

Answers: Much of the information which you request is of course confidential. On the other hand the child suffered severe lead poisoning. The kettle was tested by a materials expert who confirmed that lead solder was used in the interior and was directly exposed to the water in the kettle. Water was tested and confirmed that the kettle was leaching lead.
At the outset let me suggest that the water be tested both before and after being placed in the subject kettle. This will give you an initial though not definitive idea as to whether you have a problem.

The blood lead test is performed routinely here in the USA. It should be performed in any event. A toxicologist will be able to compare the lead blood value to intake of water.
If you desire more information, please feel free to contact me. You may also wish to contact the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. With my best wishes,

I was accidentally unsubscribed from Leadnet since 25th January 2005 so asked Brian Gumm at Leadnet to send me all the Leadnet emails about Russell Hobbs Kettle recall and he tells me your article is the only one!! The kettles were only recalled on 15th March 2005 here in Australia and yesterday on the 16th March a very concerned mother from Western Australia rang my service (the Global Lead Advice and Support Service) to ask how much lead her 5 month old daughter would have ingested by drinking approximately 300 mls per day of water (as water or as the night feed made up into formula) for the past two months, boiled in one of these recalled kettles. Does the case referred to in the lawsuit article give you any idea of the lead concentration in the boiled water or can you at least let me know the blood lead levels attained and over what period they drank the boiled water and how much they drank? The baby's doctor may need some inspirational facts to convince him/her to do a blood lead test on such a young baby. I'd be very grateful for your earliest possible response.
Regards,
Hasibah Keriwala
Volunteer Information Officer/ Researcher

See: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2005/ucm111764.htm