Bindeez
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bindeez, marketed as Aqua Dots[1] in North America, and subsequently renamed to Beados[2], are a children's toy that was awarded Australian "Toy of the Year" for 2007.[3] Toy Wishes magazine named it as one of the products among its 12 best toys of 2007.[1] It is manufactured in China for the Australian-owned company Moose Enterprise P/L, and distributed in North America by Spin Master Ltd. It is distributed in 40 countries, and 12 million packets, containing more than 8 billion beads, have been sold worldwide.[4]
The toy was subject to a multi-national product recall after it was found that the Wangqi Product Factory in Shenzhen, China had substituted a cheap toxic chemical for the specified one in some shipped toys, resulting in the illness and hospitalisation of some children who ingested the beads.[5]
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[edit] Description
Bindeez contains a craft kit that allows children to create various multi-dimensional designs using small coloured beads. "Bindeez" can refer to either the toy itself or the small beads. The beads are arranged into various designs on a plastic tray. When the beads are sprayed with water, their surfaces become adhesive and they fuse together. The beads are then left to dry and the whole design becomes fixed and can be removed from the tray.[6]
The beads are approximately five millimetres in diameter and come in a wide range of colours. Bindeez are available in various different kits with accessories such as a drying fan, applicator pen, design templates for the beads, and water spray bottles. The product is labelled for ages four and above.
[edit] Recall
Bindeez were first withdrawn from the Australian market,[7] and subsequently from the North American market by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission[8][9] as well as European markets[10][11] in early November 2007. They were recalled in Australia after a two-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl became seriously ill after they swallowed large numbers of the beads and the connection between the illness and the product was discovered by a doctor at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney.[12] Two children in North America became unconscious after similar ingestion.[13] U.S. safety officials recalled about 4.2 million of the toys.[14]
The Aqua Dots recall is one of the most serious announced by CPSC in recent years. When we first announced the recall on Wednesday, we knew of two children who had fallen into non-responsive comas after ingesting the beads used with this arts and crafts toy. Since the recall was announced, we have learned of seven additional incidents, some involving children who had to be hospitalized (this is now being reported on the AP wire). We urge all parents and caregivers who have this recalled toy to immediately take it away from children and ensure that no one else takes possession of it.
—Scott Wolfson, Deputy Director, Consumer Product Safety Commission, November 9, 2007.
The toy was supposed to contain the non-toxic chemical 1,5-pentanediol (a viscous oily liquid used as plasticiser), but instead contained 1,4-butanediol, which is metabolised into the drug gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB, an anaesthetic used as a recreational drug). At the time the substitution was discovered, the non-toxic ingredient was three to seven times more expensive than the chemical used.[15] The affected children had seizure-like activity, which is an occasional side-effect of severe GHB overdose.[16] Concern has been raised in the press that people may intentionally eat the beads in order to get high, potentially spawning a black market in the recalled toy.[17]
The Australian distributor has claimed that the medical emergencies "did not result in any long-term effects."[18]
A similar Japanese product, Aquabeads, which was developed in Japan by Epoch Co. Ltd, and is produced by a different Chinese manufacturer, has not been recalled and is uncontaminated.[19][4]
In Australia, replacement beads were available from March 2008 onwards, based on the interim ban being lifted.[20] The replacement beads will be manufactured using only approved ingredients. To discourage ingestion, the replacement beads will also be coated with the bitter-tasting substance known as Bitrex.[21] The name of the product was also changed from Bindeez to Beados in an attempt to extinguish the link between the recall of the old toy and the new toy.[22]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b "12 Best toys of 2007: Aqua Dots Super Studio", CNN Money, September 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ Moose Beados Site http://www.mooseworld.com.au/content/beados_beads/home.aspx
- ^ Australian Toy and Hobby Fair website.
- ^ a b "Global scare after ecstasy-like chemical found in toy", The Guardian, November 8, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
- ^ China reveals producer name of toxic bead toy China News Agency, November 11, 2007.
- ^ Bindeez instruction manual, Moose Toys 2006
- ^ Moose press release. Moose Enterprise P/L (6 November 2007). Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ Spin Master Ltd. Takes Precautionary Measures in Wake of Australian Recall. Spin Master Ltd. (November 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ U.S. CPSC recall notice. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ Bindeez toy beads made in China withdrawn in Germany. Monsters and Critics.com (2007-11-12). Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
- ^ Spain joins Chinese toy recall. Reuters (2007-11-08). Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
- ^ "Bindeez banned over GHB fears", ABC News (Australia), November 6, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ Australian Associated Press. "Drug toy scare hits US", Sydney Morning Herald, November 8, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
- ^ "Report: China halts export of bead toys tainted with toxic drug", CNN.com, November 9, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
- ^ "Family horrified when toy sedates child", Associated Press, 2007-11-08. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
- ^ "Mom: Chemical-Laced Toy Made Son 'Drunk'", Associated Press, 2007-11-08. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
- ^ Theage.com.au (November 9, 2007), 'Bizarre' Bindeez scare prompts warnings. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
- ^ Recall ordered for toy that turns into drug - National - theage.com.au
- ^ Flair Plc. "UK toxicological test proves safety of Flair's Aquabeads", November 9, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
- ^ Bindeez Recall Website for Australian Residents Only, FAQs.
- ^ States of Jersey (November 12, 2007), Bindeez Beads Recall. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
- ^ "Bindeez are back, but now drug-free", The Sunday Telegraph, March 23, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
