CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Ming Tai Trade High-Powered Magnetic Ball Sets Due to Ingestion Hazard; Failure to Meet Federal Safety Regulation for Toy Magnet Sets; Sold Exclusively at Temu.com

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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Dec 07, 2023, 09:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using and dispose of Ming Tai Trade's 216 Piece 5mm Magnetic Ball Sets because the loose, hazardous magnets pose a risk of serious injury or death if ingested by children.

CPSC testing determined the Magnetic Ball Sets do not comply with the requirements of the mandatory federal toy regulation because they contain one or more magnets that fit within CPSC's small parts cylinder and the magnets are stronger than permitted by the requirements. When high-powered magnets are swallowed, the ingested magnets can attract to each other, or to another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death.

CPSC estimates 2,400 magnet ingestions were treated in hospital emergency departments from 2017 through 2021. CPSC is aware of seven deaths involving the ingestion of hazardous magnets, including two outside of the United States.

CPSC issued a Notice of Violation to the seller, Ming Tai Trade, of China, but the firm has not agreed to recall these magnetic ball sets or offer a remedy to consumers.

The 216 Piece 5mm Magnet Ball Sets are small, spherical, loose, separable rare-earth magnets with a strong magnetic flux. They were sold as loose magnets in a set of 216 multi-colored magnetic balls in the form of a cube. The 5mm sets were sold encased in a clear-plastic case and a portable tin storage box.

The 216 Piece 5mm Magnet Ball Sets were sold online at temu.com in May 2023 for between $10 and $25.

CPSC urges consumers to stop using and dispose of the Magnetic Ball Sets immediately.

Report any incidents involving injury or product defect to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.

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Release Number: 24-037

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission