The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued multiple warnings and recalls for high-powered magnet toys that can be deadly if swallowed.
When high-powered magnets are swallowed, they can attract to each other (or another metal object) and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in intestinal perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death.
The agency said that it estimates that “2,400 magnet ingestions were treated in hospital emergency departments from 2017 through 2021.”
CPSC also said it is aware of 7 deaths involving people who swallowed high-powered magnet balls, including 2 outside of the U.S.
XpressGoods, a company based in Raleigh, North Carolina, agreed to recall about 728 high-powered magnet ball sets.
The CPSC also issued warnings for several magnet ball toy sets from Chinese manufacturers who refused to issue recalls, such as Allvre (sold on Temu.com), Magic QQ (sold on Temu.com), Carrara (sold on myKmarket.com), and Ming Tai Trade (sold on Temu.com).
Source: CPSC issues several warnings for tiny magnetic balls after seven deaths