Amazon and Walmart Canada remove toy for life-threatening risks to young children

Major retailers such as Amazon and Walmart have stopped selling a children’s toy in Canada after reports of life-threatening injuries.

Water beads have been marketed as a fun children’s toy that kids can watch and touch as they expand in water. The water-absorbing gel beads can grow up to 1,500 times their size when placed in water.

In May, Health Canada issued a warning about giving the product to children — serious complications have been reported when the beads are swallowed or put in children’s ears or nose.

“If ingested, water beads can continue to grow inside the body leading to potentially life-threatening injuries, such as intestinal or bowel obstruction,”  Health Canada warned.

The beads are very small when dry and look harmless but Health Canada said it is aware of several international incidents where children who had ingested water beads sustained life-threatening injuries requiring major surgery.

In the U.S., there have been at least 248 known water bead cases as reported to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from Jan. 1, 2017 to Nov. 22, 2022, Health Canada noted.

More recently, Consumer Reports, a U.S. independent, nonprofit member organization, found water beads while often marketed as a “non-toxic” toy, actually do sometimes contain toxic chemicals.

Consumer Product Safety Commission tests found acrylamide — a known carcinogen that is also toxic to the nervous system, reproductive system, and brain in some water beads, according to Consumer Reports. Tests also found BPA, also linked to certain cancers and fertility issues.

Sadly, Consumer Reports found many cases of children requiring major surgeries after ingesting the beads and at least one death. Acrylamide may be linked to a brain injury in one child in the U.S.

The beads come in several different forms — such as “jelly beads, hydro orbs, crystal soil, sensory beads or orb beads,” according to Health Canada

While Health Canada issued the warning risk in May, stores have been slow to remove the products marketed as toys.

Amazon implemented a new policy on Dec. 12 banning sellers from marketing water beads as toys for children. The policy applies to both the U.S. and Canada.

“In the interest of safety, Amazon will no longer allow the sale of water beads that are marketed to children, including as toys, art supplies or for sensory play,” Barbara Agrait, an Amazon spokesperson, said in an emailed statement to insauga.com.

“We work hard to ensure the products offered in our store are safe, and we have teams dedicated to developing and updating our policies, evaluating listings, and continuously monitoring our store to prevent unsafe and noncompliant products from being listed.”

Reportedly, Walmart has also stopped selling water beads as toys but the company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Target in the U.S. has also reportedly stopped selling water bead toys.

Health Canada says parents should call the Canadian Poison Centre hot line at 1-844-POISON-X if they suspect their child has ingested a water bead.

For more information on the Health Canada warning, see the website page here.