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The rolls of retailers who have announced recalls of Roman shades and roll-up blinds has grown with the addition of Lowe's Home Centers, Inc. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on December 1, that Lowes has joined the voluntary recall on these window coverings originally begun in December, 2009. The Loews recall covers all Roman shades and roll-up blinds sold by the company.

Lowes is recalling approximately 6 million Roman shades and about 5 million roll-up blinds due to the strangulation hazard the window coverings pose to young children. Strangulations can occur with the Roman shades if a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck. For the roll-up blinds, strangulations can occur if the lifting loop slides off the side of the blind and a child's neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop or if a child places his/her neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.

The CPSC has received two reports of near strangulation of young children, a two-year old and a four-year-old, involving Roman shades.

The Loews recall includes all styles and sizes of Roman shades and roll-up blinds sold by Lowe's. Not included in the recall are any Roman shades with repair kits or roll-up blinds with release clips right below the head rail on the backside of the blind. The recalled Roman shades were sold at Lowe's stores, other retail stores and online, since at least 1999 through June 2010, and the roll-up blinds from at least 1999 to January 2005. Both products were priced between $10 and $1,800.

According to the CPSC, consumers should stop using the recalled Roman shades and roll-up blinds immediately and contact the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) for free repair kits by calling (800) 506-4636 anytime, or visiting the website: www.windowcoverings.org. For additional information, contact Lowe's at (800) 445-6937 anytime, or go to the company website at www.lowes.com.

Related Resources:

• Lowe?s Recalls 11 Million Shades on Strangling Risk(Bloomberg)
• Defective and Dangerous Products - Legal Issues(FindLaw)
• Roll-Up Blinds, Roman Shades Recall: CPSC Recalls Millions after Deaths (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Strangulation Deaths Prompt Wave of Window Shade Recalls(FindLaw's Common Law)