CPSC and IKEA Announce a Recall to Prevent Future Injuries and Deaths from Tip-overs of Malm Dresser

Statement

Following efforts from U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and IKEA today announced a recall to prevent future injuries and deaths from tip-overs of the IKEA Malm dresser. In February, a 22-month old from Apple Valley, Minnesota was killed by a falling Malm dresser; however, his family was unaware of the danger the Malm dresser posed, including two previous deaths from Malm dresser tip-overs. After these two deaths, IKEA and the CPSC announced a repair program to provide owners a free wall anchoring kit but IKEA has stated that it has distributed only 300,000 new wall anchors, which only cover about one percent of the 29 million dressers sold. Today, after urging from the lawmakers, the CPSC and IKEA announced a recall of Malm dressers, stopping the sale of Malm dressers until safety improvements are made, and offering a refund for consumers who have purchased Malm dressers. These are the actions the lawmakers called on the CPSC to take in their letter last month.

"I am thankful that IKEA and the CPSC heard the message of our letter and are taking actions that will make kids across the country safer," Casey said. "While this is a positive development this battle is by no means over. The facts are clear: far too many children are exposed to unsafe furniture that can easily tip over. What is needed is a strong federal safety standard that can give parents the peace of mind they deserve. We must continue to push for passage of our legislation to put clear, mandatory safety standards in place."

"After a 22-month old from Apple Valley, Minnesota was killed by a falling Malm dresser, we called on the Consumer Product Safety Commission and IKEA to take action to prevent further injuries and deaths," said Klobuchar. "While today's announcement won't bring back the children who tragically lost their lives to tip-overs, it will hopefully prevent future tragedies by taking this dresser off the market and leading to greater public awareness. No family should live in fear that their child could be severely injured or even killed by a preventable tip-over of household furniture."

"This recall is long overdue and will help prevent tragic tip-over accidents that have already taken the lives of three toddlers. I, along with my colleagues in the Senate, sent letters urging IKEA and the CPSC to stop selling these dressers and provide an appropriate remedy for consumers. I'm glad that our efforts have finally led to meaningful action," Schakowsky said. "While this recall is an important step forward, we must do more to address the risk of furniture tip-overs. I will continue fighting for legislation that keeps children safe and protects families from future tip-over tragedies."

Klobuchar, Casey, and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined together earlier this month to introduce the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act, a new bill to protect children from tipping furniture. The legislation would direct the CPSC to adopt a stronger, mandatory stability standard for storage units, including chests, bureaus, and dressers, which are a major category of furniture at risk for tipping over. Schakowsky has introduced the companion bill in the House.

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