Today, for the first time ever, CPSC warned consumers about the chemical poisoning hazards posed by water bead products. While the agency has warned of the dangers water beads pose when they are ingested and expand inside of children and has recalled water beads that led to one girl’s death, CPSC has never publicly confirmed the presence of toxic acrylamides in a particular water bead product—until now. Water beads can harm your child in multiple ways: through expanding and blocking intestinal pathways and also through leeching toxic chemicals. To make matters worse, some water bead products are labeled “nontoxic,” but that statement should not be taken at face value.
It’s been a few months since I challenged retailers to think about whether they really wanted to be selling products that posed such significant hazards to children. So many answered the call—and chose to prioritize safety. Water beads are no longer sold to children by Amazon, Walmart, Target, Macy’s, Joann’s, Shein, Kohl’s, Michael’s, or Hobby Lobby. But just because they are not going to be sold going forward doesn’t mean they’re not still in people’s homes. Today’s warnings about products sold by Chinese companies Jangostor and Tuladuo are a reminder that water beads still pose a great danger.
Faithfully,
Your consumer advocate at the Consumer Product Safety Commission
Commissioner Richard L. Trumka Jr.