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IKEA Voluntarily Recalls 29 Million Dressers, Chests Over Safety Concerns

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — IKEA is recalling 29 million of its dressers and chests the furniture giant says can tip-over if not anchored to a wall.

The dressers and chests are being blamed for the deaths of three kids in two years.

Last year, IKEA launched an ad campaign warning customers of the dangers of falling furniture. It also distributed 300,000 anchoring kits to secure the dressers to a wall.

But some consumer safety experts say the furniture problem is much bigger than IKEA.

"The furniture is inherently more unstable than it needs to be," said Elliot Kaye, the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. "Industry can do far better in making more stable products and I'm challenging them to do that."

On average, one child dies every two weeks from falling television sets or furniture. Experts say parents need to secure the furniture to the walls.

The recall affects children's chests and dressers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches that do not meet the performance requirements of the U.S. voluntary industry standard, IKEA said in a news release.

IKEA recall
(credit: IKEA)

"The recalled MALM chests and dressers were manufactured and sold through June 2016 and include the 3-drawer, 4-drawer, 5-drawer and 6-drawer models," the store indicated. "Other IKEA chests and dressers in this recall were sold at various times through June 2016."

Those who have one of the recalled dressers or chests have options.

You may return it to IKEA for a full refund, or have someone from the store pick it up for free. Additionally, IKEA will also send someone to your home to anchor the furniture to the wall.

For a complete list of recalled products, click here.

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