Bindeez

Bindeez (also marketed as Aqua Dotscite news
url=http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/news/0709/gallery.hot_toys/2.html
title=12 Best toys of 2007: Aqua Dots Super Studio
date=September 2007
publisher=CNN Money
accessdate=2007-11-09] , BeadosMoose Beados Site http://www.mooseworld.com.au/content/beados_beads/home.aspx] , AquaBeads/アクアビーズFact|date=September 2008, and PixosFact|date=August 2008) are a children's toy that was awarded Australian "Toy of the Year" for 2007. [cite web | title = Australian Toy and Hobby Fair website | url = http://www.toyfair.com.au/photo_galleries/potya_2007] "Toy Wishes" magazine named it as one of the products among its 12 best toys of 2007. 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.cite news
url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,2207703,00.html
title=Global scare after ecstasy-like chemical found in toy
date=November 8 2007
publisher=The Guardian
accessdate=2007-11-10]

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 hospitalization of some children who ingested the beads. [ [http://www.chinanews.cn//business/2007-11-11/41099.html China reveals producer name of toxic bead toy] China News Agency, November 11, 2007.]

Description

Bindeez contains a craft kit that allows children to create various multi-dimensional designs using small colored 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. [Bindeez instruction manual, Moose Toys 2006]

The beads are approximately five millimeters 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.

Recall

Bindeez were first withdrawn from the Australian market, [cite web
url=http://www.mooseworld.com.au/files/7171b79e-a007-4783-b39d-99de017cd56c/BindeezMediaRelease20071106.pdf
title=Moose press release
date=6 November 2007
publisher=Moose Enterprise P/L
accessdate=2007-11-09] and subsequently from the North American market by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission [cite web
url=http://www.spinmaster.com/aquaDots.html
title=Spin Master Ltd. Takes Precautionary Measures in Wake of Australian Recall
date=November 7 2007
publisher=Spin Master Ltd.
accessdate=2007-11-09] [cite web
url=http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08074.html
title=U.S. CPSC recall notice
publisher=Consumer Product Safety Commission
accessdate=2007-11-09] as well as European markets [cite web
url=http://news.monstersandcritics.com/business/news/article_1373105.php/Bindeez_toy_beads_made_in_China_withdrawn_in_Germany
title=Bindeez toy beads made in China withdrawn in Germany
date=2007-11-12
publisher=Monsters and Critics.com
accessdate=2007-11-13] [cite web
url=http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSL0815696120071108
title=Spain joins Chinese toy recall
date=2007-11-08
publisher=Reuters
accessdate=2007-11-13] 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. [cite news
url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/06/2082480.htm
title=Bindeez banned over GHB fears
date=November 6 2007
publisher=ABC News (Australia)
accessdate=2007-11-09] Two children in North America became unconscious after similar ingestion. [cite news
url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/drug-toy-scare-hits-us/2007/11/08/1194329379517.html
author=Australian Associated Press
title=Drug toy scare hits US
date=November 8 2007
publisher=Sydney Morning Herald
accessdate=2007-11-09] U.S. safety officials recalled about 4.2 million of the toys. [cite news
url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/09/toy.recall/index.html
title= Report: China halts export of bead toys tainted with toxic drug
date=November 9 2007
publisher=CNN.com
accessdate=2007-11-10]

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. [cite news | url = http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8SPRQR01.htm | title = Family horrified when toy sedates child | date=2007-11-08 | publisher = Associated Press | accessdate = 2007-11-08] The affected children had seizure-like activity, which is an occasional side-effect of severe GHB overdose. [cite news | url = http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gN9h2jxbViPDDlsaZyCDi5khBAFwD8SPHKFO4 | title = Mom: Chemical-Laced Toy Made Son 'Drunk' | date=2007-11-08 | publisher = Associated Press | accessdate = 2007-11-08] 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. [Theage.com.au (November 9, 2007), [http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Bizarre-Bindeez-scare-prompts-warnings/2007/11/09/1194329501403.html 'Bizarre' Bindeez scare prompts warnings] . Retrieved on 2007-11-13.]

The Australian distributor has claimed that the medical emergencies "did not result in any long-term effects." [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/recall-for-toy-that-turns-int-drug/2007/11/06/1194329225773.html Recall ordered for toy that turns into drug - National - theage.com.au ] ]

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. [cite news
url=http://www.flairplc.co.uk/cgi-bin/flairnews/fullnews.cgi?newsid1194619110,66457,
title=UK toxicological test proves safety of Flair's Aquabeads
author=Flair Plc
date=November 9 2007
accessdate=2007-11-10]

In Australia, replacement beads were available from March 2008 onwards, based on the interim ban being lifted. [cite web |title=Bindeez Recall Website for Australian Residents Only, FAQs |url=http://www.mooseworld.com.au/content/bindeezrecall/faq.aspx] 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. [States of Jersey (November 12, 2007), [http://www.gov.je/EconomicDevelopment/TradingStandards/ProdRecalls/Toys/Bindeez+Beads+Recall.htm Bindeez Beads Recall] . Retrieved on 2007-11-12.] 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. [cite news
url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23416015-2,00.html,
title=Bindeez are back, but now drug-free
publisher=The Sunday Telegraph
date=March 23 2008
accessdate=2008-03-23]

In North America, the beads were remarketed as Pixos and marketed as "Safety Tested" in the television commercial as the commercial began hitting the airways in early July.

ee also

*2007 Chinese export recalls
*Toy safety

References

External links

* [http://www.mooseworld.com.au/content/beados_beads/home.aspx Official Beados website]
* [http://www.mooseworld.com.au/ Moose Enterprises web site]
* [http://www.bindeez.com/ Official Bindeez product web site with product recall information]
* [http://www.spinmaster.com SpinMaster (US/Canada distributor) web site]
* [http://www.bindeezrecall.com Australia product recall web site]
* [http://www.aquadotsrecall.com US/Canada product recall web site]