Bertini Castlebrook dressers, desks and chests

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. Hurt, no treatment

   Made Feb 2, 2016 · , sent to the company Feb 12, 2016 · , published by CPSC Feb 29, 2016

   The product, in the report: The biggest culprit is the long 7-drawer dresser. However, I believe all pieces are contributing factors with the dresser being the biggest issue

   This is a copy of the description I have sent to the manufacturer, Dorel (the parent company of Bertini). Dorel has several names (Dorel Industries, Dorel Juvenile, Dorel Living, Dorel USA, Dorel Asia) See below: Who can I speak with about a very big problem I have with nursery furniture made by Bertini? The issue is EXTREME off gassing of chemicals so strong that it’s causing me to have razor blade sore throat, dizzy, headache, nausea. And if I’m experiencing them as an adult size, imagine how my infant daughter is feeling in her tiny little body! I thought the smell would eventually dissipate over time. I purchased the nursery furniture last July 2015 and it still is so overwhelming that I can’t even have my daughter use the furniture or even be in her bedroom. We have been experiencing health issues and I’ve had to shut the nursery door and keep the windows open just to air out the smell. I had her babies clothes in the dresser and her clothes smell like chemical and can’t be worn. This is extremely urgent and a huge health concern. I’m surprised you would manufacture furniture for an INFANTS room with such horrible toxic chemicals. It’s causing respiratory issues and who knows what long term health issues.

   I purchased most of the baby’s nursery furniture at Toys R Us on June 29, 2015. The order number was [REDACTED] for a total of $1472.05. This included the following pieces:

   [REDACTED]– Espresso $509.00

   Item #198084 – Bertini Castlebrook 7-Drawer Dresser – Espresso $594.99

   [REDACTED]– Espresso $169.99

   I purchased the Toddler Guard Rail October 29, 2015

   [REDACTED] – Espresso $67.66 ($71.89 including tax)

   Total $1543.94

   The bedrails and toddler conversion kit were shipped to my home, but the crib & dresser could only be sent to the store and we had to make arrangements to pick it up ourselves.

   Once the items arrived, we brought them home and set them up in the baby’s nursery. I noticed a very strong odor of chemical when we first open the items from the boxes. Once the items were assembled and were in the room for a couple days, the chemical odor became so strong that it began giving me a headache, a sore throat, and making me dizzy. It was in the summer months, so I opened both windows in the bedroom and put a window fan in to circulate the air and air out the furniture. I kept the windows open and the door to the nursery closed for 2 months. I would periodically go into the room to check and the smell was still VERY strong.

   I began researching chemical smells and natural ways to absorb odors. I found information that said bowls of salt water absorbs smells. I also found that bowls of vinegar can also absorb smells. For the months of July and August, I had various bowls filled with either vinegar or salt water sitting on the floor in the nursery. The smell did not get better.

   September 1st we moved to a new home. The furniture was packed up and moved to the new nursery. (The baby never used the original nursery as she was born Sept 17th). The new nursery has one large picture window and 2 additional windows as well as high ceilings and a ceiling fan. When we set up the furniture in the new room, the smell quickly became overpowering in that room as well. I, again, opened the windows of the nursery and also kept the ceiling fan going to air out the furniture.

   Once the baby was born, we had her sleep in our bedroom in a bassinet for 2 months. Her nursery door remained closed with the windows open to air out the furniture. In the meantime, I had put her baby clothes in the dresser drawers. As I started to use the clothes, I realized the smell was even on her baby clothes! It was at that time that I opened up every drawer of the dresser and kept them open (as you can see in one of the pictures I attached).

   The time had come where the baby was starting to outgrow the bassinet and needed to sleep in her crib. I went into her nursery and spent approximately 2 hours in her bedroom (with the door open) to organize her clothes, toys, books, etc since we were planning on moving her into her nursery. While in her room, I started developing an extreme sore throat that felt like razor blades in my throat. I got a headache and began getting dizzy. (I’m 5’8” tall and weigh approximately 180 pounds. For the smell to be SO strong that it was affecting me that way in only 2 short hours, imagine what it would do to a baby who only weighs about 10 pounds and was going to be in there sleeping for upwards of 10 hours in one stretch!) When I left the nursery that night, I realized just how strong and potent her furniture was off gassing. I had always been able to smell the chemical odor smell when entering the room, but I never realized how symptomatic it would be. I felt so bad after being in that room that I actually laid down to go to bed early that night. Once I laid down, I began having room spins. I was THAT dizzy.

   I wasn’t sure what to do at this point, but I she needed to sleep in her crib. So, we took apart her crib and moved it into our bedroom and left the dresser in the nursery (hoping to air it out somehow). We set the crib up in our bedroom (which is big, open, and airy, with high ceilings) and she began sleeping in her crib. However, as time has gone on, the chemicals must have been building up because I have been experiencing sore throats and my eyes begin to burn when I’m in the bedroom. When I go into her nursery (which has basically become useless) the chemical smell is still strong. She has clothes in the dresser which we don’t even use. We have been storing her clothes piled up on a bench we have in our bedroom because the odor from the dresser spreads into any clothes you put in the drawers.

   If I am experiencing these symptoms as an adult, I can only imagine how our daughter feels and I am extremely concerned about the long term effects on her health. I have been MORE than patient trying to air out the furniture. It is now coming up to 7 months of having the furniture and it is still a huge problem.

   The problem is, we purchased this furniture with the hope of having it for a very long time and to grow with our daughter as she grows. We did not mind spending the extra money for solid, quality furniture that would look good even as she grew into a teenager. It was a nightmare having to arrange to pick the furniture up at Toys R Us. We had to borrow a friend’s truck to pick the furniture up and we had to find help strong enough to lift the furniture in and out of the truck and into the house. When we received the first dresser, there was a giant crack THROUGH the wood. Toys R Us ordered a new dresser but required US to bring the defective dresser back to the store and pick up the new one. So, we had to move this heavy furniture multiple times already.

   I have not contacted Toys R Us about the off gassing because it’s not their problem. This is a manufacturing problem. And frankly, I’ve waited 7 months hoping the problem would correct itself. But it hasn’t. And, in addition to not correcting itself, it’s also causing health problems. IT’S NOT OK.

   I’ve included a link to a video made by Good Morning America which examines the chemicals that new furniture emits. In fact, the video specifically tests furniture in a baby’s nursery. Please take a look for yourself.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTEGGlpaINo&feature=youtu.be

   Model

   198084

   UPC

   065857168334

   Serial number

   BR1405-1

   Bought from

   Babies R Us

   Bought

   Jun 29, 2015

   Where

   Worcester, Massachusetts: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 0, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Child

   As this report names them

   Brand Bertini Castlebrook, made or sold by Dorel Asia

   Reports CPSC links to it

   20160208-75863-1554046, 20160208-D6BFB-1554047

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, No First Aid or Medical Attention Received

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources