McDonald's has recalled 12 million Shrek-themed glasses because the painted design on the glasses contains cadmium. The 16-ounce glasses were being sold for $2 each as part of a promotional campaign for the movie Shrek Forever After and were available in four designs depicting the characters Shrek, Princess Fiona, Puss in Boots and Donkey.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall early today telling parents to stop using the glasses. The agency noted in its recall notice that "long-term exposure to cadmium can cause adverse health effects."

Cadmium can be used to create reds and yellows in paint. McDonald's USA spokesman Bill Whitman told NPR that a pigment in paint on the glasses contained cadmium. "A very small amount of cadmium can come to the surface of the glass, and in order to be as protective as possible of children, CPSC and McDonald's worked together on this recall," CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson told the radio network. He would not specify the amounts of cadmium that leached from the paint in tests, but said the amounts were "slightly above the protective level currently being developed by the agency." 

Several batches of children's jewelry made with cadmium have been recalled this year, including bracelets sold at Claire's and Miley Cyrus jewelry sold at Walmart.