CPSC's Tuesday announcements about Jangostor's large water bead sets and two different sets of Tuladuo water beads state that they all contain "levels of acrylamide that violate the Federal Hazardous Substances Act." They also say the agency is aware of two incidents in which children required surgery to remove Jangostor water pearls after swallowing them, and a similar incident involving a large Tuladuo pearl.
"Expanding water beads pose inherent dangers to children, and now testing confirms that they can be toxic as well," says Gabe Knight, safety policy analyst at CR. โIf you have water beads and have not yet thrown them away, we recommend that you do so now. โRetailers and online platforms should stop selling them immediately, and Congress should pass the Water Pearl Ban Act to establish clear and consistent rules across the market.โ
Jangostor beads were sold on Amazon in tubs and plastic bags; Tuladuo beads were also sold on Amazon, either in a large jar or in an activity kit that included 50 large and 50,000 small beads.
โAs of December 2023, Amazon does not allow the sale of water beads marketed to children, including toys, art supplies, or sensory play,โ says Amazon spokesperson Samantha Boyd. "Amazon is in the process of notifying customers of the CPSC's concerns and issuing refunds on behalf of our seller partners."
CR experts say the safest way to dispose of water beads is to put them in a sealed container and throw them in the trash.
Editor's note: This article was updated to include comments from a CR advocate and an Amazon spokesperson received after publication.
