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Plastic Balloons
- Starting date:
- April 24, 2013
- Posting date:
- April 24, 2013
- Type of communication:
- Consumer Product Recall
- Subcategory:
- Children's Products, Toys
- Source of recall:
- Health Canada
- Issue:
- Product Safety
- Audience:
- General Public
- Identification number:
- RA-26843
Affected products
Plastic Balloons
Product description
These toys consist of a solvent mixture in a tube and one or more short plastic straws for blowing. Children can form balloons or bubbles by dipping the short straw into the solvent and blowing through the straw. The product is sold in both a single pack, with one tube of solvent, and as a six pack with six tubes of solvent.
Hazard identified
Children's balloon blowing kits have been prohibited in Canada since 1973.
The safety concern is that blowing the balloons exposes a child to inhaling the vapours of any solvents present. Children can be fascinated with these products, and if they blow balloons for extended periods they may experience early symptoms of central nervous system depression or dysfunction, including euphoria, hallucinations, dizziness, and difficulties with coordination of voluntary movements. Prolonged exposure can lead to more serious symptoms including muscular twitching, unconsciousness, and coma.
Neither Health Canada nor Dollar Tree nor Dollar Giant has received reports of illness or injury related to the use of these particular balloon blowing kits.
Number sold
Approximately 6,806 of the balloon blowing kits have been sold at Dollar Tree and Dollar Giant retail stores in Canada.
Time period sold
The balloon blowing kits were sold from February 2012 to February 2013.
Place of origin
Manufactured in China.
Companies
- Manufacturer
-
Guangzou Shin Dorn Plastic Toy Co., Ltd.
CHINA
- Distributor
-
Dollar Tree
Burnaby
British Columbia
CANADA
- Distributor
-
Dollar Giant
Burnaby
British Columbia
CANADA
Images (select thumbnail to enlarge - opens in a new window)
What you should do
Consumers should immediately take these balloon blowing kits away from children. They should be safely disposed of in regular household trash in such a way that they cannot be reused.