Recall may be needed for 'Montana' items

OAKLAND, Calif., March 22 (UPI) -- A recall may be needed for certain "Hannah Montana" children's products after testing at a California laboratory found high lead levels in the items.

Testing by the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, Calif., found that some of the "Montana" items for sale at Toys R' Us, Wal-Mart and Target had high levels of lead, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Saturday.

Among the items found with the increased lead levels were vinyl backpacks and purses, along with a vinyl wallet and other items based on the popular children's TV series.

Yet Walt Disney officials, whose company created "Montana" and its accompanying products, said all of its licensed products undergo a thorough review to ensure they follow safety guidelines.

"We require all licensed producers of products using Disney characters to test their products and to comply with all applicable product safety laws and standards," a statement from the company said.

Despite that claim, a Consumer Product Safety Commission spokeswoman told the newspaper the center's findings were being investigated.