Consumer Reports warns of hazardous products online
WASHINGTON, DC—A new safety rule for water beads marketed as toys officially went into effect today nationwide. Water beads are small, often brightly colored gel balls made of superabsorbent materials, which can drastically expand to many times their original size when exposed to water or other liquids—sometimes to the size of a golf ball. The rule was set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Water beads can cause life-threatening intestinal blockages if swallowed, or severe—sometimes permanent—injuries if inserted into an ear or nose. Misdiagnoses or delayed treatment occurs because water beads are often undetected by X-rays, and many symptoms, including vomiting, lethargy, and nasal congestion, can be mistaken for other common conditions.
The CPSC’s new rule limits water bead toys from expanding beyond 5 mm—approximately the size of a pea. It sets strict limits on acrylamide, a known carcinogen sometimes found in dangerous levels in these products. The rule also requires strongly worded, conspicuous warning labels about the dangers associated with the products. These requirements will apply only to water beads that are designed, manufactured, or marketed as toys. Water beads can still be sold for decorative purposes, such as vase fillers.
Gabe Knight, Senior Policy Analyst for Consumer Reports, said: “Consumer Reports welcomes the CPSC’s water beads rule as an important victory for child safety, and we applaud the agency for taking strong action. However, parents should stay vigilant. Water beads send thousands of children to the ER every year, and they remain in countless homes across the country. It’s also important to remember that illegal products frequently pop up on online marketplaces. We strongly urge the CPSC and online marketplaces to strictly enforce the new rule, and we remind parents to never let a young child play with water beads, whether or not they meet the new standard.”
Parent advocates like Ashley Haugen (founder of the non-profit That Water Bead Lady), whose tireless advocacy following her own child’s tragic injury, helped make today’s rule a reality. Consumer Reports’ (CR) 2023 investigation into these hidden dangers also helped spark the CPSC rulemaking and led to voluntary removal commitments from major retailers including Target, Walmart, and Amazon. Now that the rule is mandatory, CR is calling for strict enforcement.
A recent Consumer Reports evaluation found hazardous water beads marketed to children for sale on major platforms, including Amazon and Walmart. Even though listings were removed after CR flagged them for the platforms, the findings highlight a clear need for stronger marketplace oversight. CR urges platforms to deploy all means possible to proactively keep hazardous products off their platforms. Visit cr.org/safebydesign to read more about CR’s evaluation and the recent commitments CR secured from companies like Amazon and Temu.
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Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org