Walmart and Amazon have announced they will no longer sell water beads marketed to children due to safety concerns and serious injuries.
Water beads are small, colorful balls that are highly absorbent, but they can also be dangerous for children if ingested.
Although they seem harmless enough, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said water beads were responsible for 4,500 emergency room visits in the past four years. .
The tiny beads can grow inside children and do not show up on X-rays, leading to calls for a ban.
When soaked in water, they grow into slippery, fluffy balls of fun, but if swallowed, these tiny super-inflatable toys can cause vomiting, intestinal blockage, and life-threatening injuries.
Extensive testing by Consumer Reports and the CPSC has revealed another danger: toxic chemicals.
“Tests detected chemicals such as acrylamide, which is also toxic to the brain and a likely carcinogen, and BPA, which has been linked to certain cancers and fertility issues,” Consumer Reports' Lauren Lauren said. Kirchner said.
Many packages of water beads are labeled “non-toxic,” but Consumer Reports says that can be misleading.
“The 'non-toxic' label is common on many types of products, but consumers may not realize that it is actually a poorly enforced and poorly regulated term.” Kirchner says.
“Just because it says non-toxic doesn't mean it's safe or that this product can't poison a child,” said Ashley Haugen. .
Haugen said her daughter, Kipley, has been suffering from long-term toxicity since ingesting water beads several years ago.
“They ultimately diagnosed Kipley with toxic encephalopathy, which is a brain injury,” Haugen said.
Consumer Reports and other safety advocacy groups have called for a ban on these products. Health Canada issued an advisory earlier this year saying water beads pose a life-threatening danger to young children because they can grow up to 1,5000 times in size when placed in water.
Walmart has agreed to no longer sell water beads as children's toys.
In a statement, Amazon Canada told CTV News Toronto that “for your safety” the site will no longer sell water beads marketed to children for purposes such as toys, art supplies, and sensory play.
“We work diligently to ensure the products offered in our stores are safe, and we develop and update policies, evaluate listings, and ensure that unsafe or non-compliant products are listed. “We have a team dedicated to continuously monitoring our stores to prevent this,” the company said.
According to Consumer Reports, the best advice if you have water beads in your home is to throw them away.
It may take a week for the beads to be removed from the toy aisles of some stores, but they may still be on sale in other locations. Beads are also popular for decorative purposes such as centerpieces, floating candles, and flower arrangements.
