The three top U.S. retailers—Amazon, Target, and Walmart—have announced they’re suspending sales of water-bead products marketed to young children due to growing safety concerns.
The small, colorful balls—sometimes no larger than a pinhead—are made of superabsorbent polymers that can grow to 100 times their original size when exposed to water. They are often sold as toys, including in craft activity kits, and as sensory tools for children with developmental disabilities.
Ingestion of water beads, however, may lead to severe discomfort, injury, and even death.
“And while most even still pass through the gut without trouble, occasionally they swell to a size where they actually obstruct the bowel,” said Dr. Joshua King, medical director of the Maryland Poison Center.
The water beads can also end up in children’s ears, causing damage or hearing loss when they swell, or lead to suffocation when accidentally inhaled.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), emergency departments reported treating approximately 7,800 water bead injuries from 2016 to 2022.
Amazon confirmed Thursday that it had updated its policy on water bead sales earlier this week “in the interest of safety.” The e-commerce giant will no longer allow the sale of water beads that are marketed to children, be it as toys, art supplies, or for sensory play, a spokesperson told the Associated Press.
Under Amazon’s updated policy, listings of superabsorbent polymers will be removed if they include images of children, or references such as “child,” “kid,” “crafts,” or “sensory play.” Sellers have until Dec. 22 to comply, the spokesperson said.
Walmart took a similar decision regarding water bead toys and craft items marketed to young children, noting that it had already taken steps to remove the products from stores and online.
Target likewise said it will no longer sell water beads marketed to children aged 12 and under. The company has already begun removing the products from its catalogue, and expects to complete the process by the first weeks of January.
Target had earlier stopped selling the “Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kits” in November 2022 when a 9-month-old from Maine had to undergo surgery after ingesting the beads. In July, 2023, a 10-month-old from Wisconsin died after swallowing water beads, prompting Target to recall the kits sold.
EBay said it has been implementing measures for some time now—including filters to prevent sellers from listing water beads marketed as toys, and safety warning requirements for other water-bead products.
Etsy has prohibited the sale of water beads entirely “regardless of their marketing or intended use,” a spokesperson said.
The proactive decision from the companies was welcomed by Ashley Haugen, who founded the advocacy nonprofit That Water Bead Lady in 2017 after her youngest daughter suffered critical injuries from water beads—at just 10 months of age.
“I’m really proud because what you see and what this action shows is the result of parents, advocates, health care professionals, policy makers, and corporations working together to create a safer world for all of our children,” said Ms. Haugen.
Last month, U.S. Representative Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) introduced legislation to ban all water beads marketed for children’s use nationwide. Pallone was joined by CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric and other consumer safety advocates, including Ms. Haugen, when announcing the bill.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.