Safety warning issued on gel water beads

Consumer authorities across the EU have systems to share information about dangerous non-food items

There have been a number of reported incidents around the world involving water beads, including blockages in ear canals and internal organs, resulting in hearing loss and bowel obstruction.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has issued a warning to parents and caregivers about water beads.

Also known as gel beads, sensory beads and by a number of other trademarked names, these small plastic spheres are made of a superabsorbent polymer and can retain hundreds of times their weight in water.