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Health Canada orders NeoMagnetic Gadgets Inc. to recall magnet sets
- Starting date:
- June 20, 2013
- Posting date:
- June 20, 2013
- Type of communication:
- Consumer Product Recall
- Subcategory:
- Household Items, Toys
- Source of recall:
- Health Canada
- Issue:
- Product Safety, Unauthorized products
- Audience:
- General Public
- Identification number:
- RA-34263
Affected products
NeoMagnetic Cube and Buckyballs magnetic sets
Product description
The present recall involves small powerful magnetic balls that can be used to build sculptures, puzzles, patterns, or shapes including any of the following brands:
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm RED COPPER
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm BLUE METAL
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm DARK
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm TRIPLE NICKEL
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm SILVER
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm GOLD
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm Metallic Rainbow Glazed Spheres
- NeoMagnetic Cube 5mm Metallic Glazed Spheres
- NeoMagnetic Square 125
- NeoMagnetic Square 216
- NeoMagnetic Cube 6mm BLUE METAL
- NeoMagnetic Cube 6mm DARK
- NeoMagnetic Cube 6mm GOLD
- NeoMagnetic Cube 6mm TRIPLE NICKEL
- Buckyballs Original
- Buckyballs Sidekick
- Buckyballs Book Edition
Hazard identified
Health Canada has ordered NeoMagnetic Gadgets Inc. to recall these products from the market.
The risk assessment on these magnet sets has informed Health Canada's determination that they are a danger to human health and safety because they contain small powerful magnets which can be easily swallowed or inhaled by children. Unlike other small objects that would be more likely to pass normally through the digestive system if swallowed, when more than one small powerful magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract one another while travelling through the digestive system. The magnets can then pinch together and create a blockage and slowly tear through the intestinal walls, causing perforations.
The results of swallowing small powerful magnets can be very serious and life-threatening. Swallowing incidents have often resulted in considerable damage to the gastrointestinal tissues and required emergency surgical treatment. For survivors, there can be serious long-term health consequences.
For more information on the danger of swallowing magnets, please see Magnets.
Number sold
Approximately, 4000 of the affected products were sold in Canada.
Time period sold
The recalled products were sold from February 2010 to June 2013.
Companies
- Distributor
-
NeoMagnetic Gadgets Inc.
4030 St-Ambroise Suite 234
Montreal
H4C 2C7
Quebec
CANADA
Images (select thumbnail to enlarge - opens in a new window)
What you should do
Consumers should stop using the recalled magnet sets immediately and contact their municipality for instructions on how to dispose of or recycle the recalled products.
Please note that the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act prohibits recalled products from being redistributed, sold or even given away in Canada.