Your August Product Safety Alert |
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KID Speaks to That Water Bead Lady
'Kick Back With KID' Fundraiser - August 17
CPSC Warns Against Magnet Product
CPSC Holds Meeting About Lithium-Ion Batteries
Support Ely Keysar's Walk for KID
Furniture Companies Must Comply with New Rule to Prevent Tip-Overs
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KID Speaks to That Water Bead Lady |
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Health Canada recently announced a warning about water beads, identifying them as an emerging ingestion hazard that can seriously harm a child if they are swallowed or put in their ears or nose. These dangerous products are made of small super-absorbent polymer crystals that can grow up to 1,500 times their size when placed in liquid. If ingested, the beads absorb bodily fluids and can lead to potentially life-threatening injuries, such as intestinal or bowel obstruction. To learn more about the dangers of these products and what parents and caregivers should do to avoid water bead injuries, KID talked to Ashley Haugen, better known as That Water Bead Lady. Ashley is a leading advocate speaking out against water beads after her daughter, Kipley, was severely injured. Read our blog for the first part of our interview and look out for videos from the interview on our social media.
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KID's Young Professionals Board is hosting a fun-filled evening to raise funds for KID's life-saving mission. Join us on Thursday, August 17, at Clover Sports and Leisure in Chicago. Invite your friends and colleagues to meet other local young professionals, and enjoy light bites, drinks, KID's ever-popular wine toss, raffle, and more. The bar is dog-friendly so bring your four-legged friends! Tickets, raffle tickets, and sponsorships are on sale now.
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CPSC Warns Against Magnet Product |
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The CPSC warned consumers to immediately stop using the Carolina Milano 5mm Magnetic Balls Cubes because the loose magnets pose a risk of serious injury or death if ingested. CPSC testing revealed that the small magnets do not comply with the requirements of the mandatory federal safety standard. When high-powered magnets are swallowed, they can attract each other, or to another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in perforations, twisting, and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death. The seller, CarolinaMilano.com of Israel, is not cooperating with the CPSC on the recall of this product and is not offering a remedy to consumers.
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CPSC Holds Meeting About Lithium-Ion Batteries |
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Last week, the CPSC held a meeting to discuss lithium-ion battery safety, with a focus on fires occurring in e-bikes and other micro-mobility products. Lithium-ion batteries have been a growing source of fire hazards and New York lawmakers have been pushing for more safety standards after a string of deadly fires in the state. Gabe Knight from Consumer Reports (pictured) spoke on the hazards of these batteries and the need for strong mandatory standards. She said, "When lithium-ion batteries are poorly made, over used, over charged, or tampered with, they can overheat and even explode and cause rapidly spreading fires that are difficult to extinguish... While there are voluntary standards for e-bikes and other micro-mobility devices, and some companies are doing things the right way, too many manufacturers and sellers have failed to take these standards seriously." Last year, Consumer Reports released a report showing that only 13 e-bike companies were certified to UL voluntary standards and that the lack of acceptance from the industry for these standards left lower income individuals most at risk.
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Support Ely Keysar's Walk for KID
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In 1998, Ely Keysar was just five years old when his younger brother Danny died from a poorly designed and recalled portable crib, which led to KID's founding. After 20+ years of therapy and mental health struggles, Ely has begun to realize how this event and its trauma has shaped his life, consciously and unconsciously. Ely hopes to continue his healing journey by combining the cathartic release of exercise with raising much needed funds for KID in Danny's honor and KID's 25th anniversary.
On Tuesday, September 19, Ely will be walking 50 miles in Danny’s memory. Support Ely at one of the four sponsorship levels or by making a donation of your choice. All funds raised will support KID's life-saving mission. Click here to sponsor or donate.
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Furniture Companies Must Comply with New Rule to Prevent Tip-Overs |
As a result of the STURDY Act which Congress passed last December, all dressers and other clothing storage units manufactured on or after September 1, 2023, must comply with a strong, new mandatory standard (ASTM F2057-23). KID and other consumer advocacy groups wrote a letter to retailers and the furniture industry asking them to prioritize children’s safety and ensure they are prepared to comply with the requirements as soon as possible. According to the CPSC, at least 234 people have died from clothing storage unit tip-overs from 2000 to April 2022, and approximately 5,300 people are sent to the emergency department every year. In a joint press release, Nancy Cowles stated, “There is no excuse for manufacturers and retailers to continue selling unstable, non-compliant dressers after the government’s September 1 effective date. We already have too many hazardous dressers in our homes – it’s time to get them off our store shelves and online sites.”
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