Deadly Chemicals Found in Kids’ Amazon and eBay Party Supplies.
Credit: Shutterstock, Colleen Michaels
Toxic Balloon Alert: There has been a recall of Pixel Party / Pixel branded balloon products sold on Amazon and eBay due to a serious chemical risk.
Deadly Chemicals Found in Kids’ Amazon and eBay Party Supplies
There has been a recall of Pixel Party / Pixel branded balloon products sold on Amazon and eBay due to a serious chemical risk. The balloons may have also been on sale at physical shops around Europe, although this is not yet known. The balloons have been found to contain excessive amounts of N-nitrosamines, which can cause cancer if ingested or absorbed through the skin. This is particularly dangerous for children who may come into prolonged contact with the balloons or place them in their mouths. The Pixel Party / Pixel branded products do not comply with the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011. There has been a full recall, so customers who purchased the product should contact Amazon or eBay directly.
Which Products Have Been Affected?
All Pixel Party / Pixel Product-themed latex balloons have been recalled. This includes popular themes like Ninja (15 pcs), Brick (12 pcs), and Battle Gamer (16 pcs).
The balloons were sold on Amazon and eBay, with specific Amazon ASINs: B07T7KKP34, B082MSZJGB, and B07THKC778. An ASIN is a product identification number on Amazon.
Why Have Amazon and eBay Recalled the Balloons?
The balloons were tested and found to have high levels of a chemical called N-nitrosamines.
N-nitrosamines are known to pose a serious health risk. N-nitrosamines are allowed in small quantities in medicines and other products, as there is thought to be a low risk of toxicity in such low concentrations.
However, in higher concentrations, such as in the case of the Pixel Party / Pixel Product-themed latex balloons, they can cause cancer if swallowed or absorbed through the skin. These chemicals have been regulated in Spain and the UK since 2011 under the Royal Decree 1205/2011 and the Toys (Safety) Regulations, respectively. The EU had already officially introduced regulations in 2009 with the Directive 2009/48/EC on toy safety, banning nitrosamines and nitrosatable substances in all products intended for children under three and any toys intended to be placed in the mouth, such as balloons.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has advised anyone who has purchased these balloons to stop using them straight away and keep them out of reach of children. Customers should contact the seller for a refund or further redress.
EBay and Amazon have been forced to take down these products and will be offering full refunds. They will also advise customers on the safe disposal of the products to avoid any further risk. The ballons may have been on sale at physical retailers around the UK and EU, but the retailers in question have not yet been identified. Customers are advised to check the brand of any balloons they have purchased recently.
