Kellogg Serves Mercury Powered Spiderman Toy in Kids' Cereal

Say it isn't so Spidey! The new "Spidey-Signal" toy being given away inside some Kellogg cereal boxes is powered by a battery containing mercury. The battery is not easily removable and not replaceable. Kellogg's has not issued a recall. Why the hell not?

Kellogg's corporate Website doesn't even acknowledge the controversy. The home page contains the headline "Kellogg 'Slings' Spider-Man Excitement to Breakfast Tables."

The product label advises: "battery in toy contains mercury, dispose of properly." There is, however, no proper way to dispose of mercury without a hazmat team. Jon Hinck,Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) toxics project director. ìBefore you can say Snap, Crackle and Pop, the mercury will be headed to a landfill or incinerator and eventually to a lake or river near you.î

The wristwatch-shaped devices project either a red spider, web, or Dr. Octopus-shaped light onto the wall. The toys are packaged in a separate plastic pouch isolated from the cereal inside the box, and the company said the toy poses no health hazard. The company says it went to great lengths to make sure that the battery could not be removed and become a choking hazard for small children.

According to Kellogg's Web site, the toy is available in specially marked packages of Apple Jacks, Cocoa Rice Krispies, Corn Pops, Honey Smacks, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Marshmallow Froot Loops, Rice Krispies, Rice Krispies Treats and Tony's Cinnamon Krunchers.

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