Lawmaker Calls On Congress To Ban Water Beads Nationwide

They are specifically marketed to children as toys, and just one could cause harm to a child.

Government officials, public health professionals and concerned parents are calling on Congress to ban water beads.

The products are tiny balls made out of extremely absorbent polymer material. When exposed to liquid, they can expand up to 100 times their initial size and weight. They are specifically marketed to children as toys, and just one could cause harm to a child. They are not labeled as dangerous to small children, there’s no warning, and they are not hard to get.

Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. announced he will be introducing a bill aimed at enforcing a National ban on the beads. He said we have to ban them completely because there’s no way to ensure they’re going to be safe or that kids won’t ever be in reach of them.

Pallone also emphasized that water beads have been responsible for 4,500 emergency room visits Nationwide since 2017, and that these incidents have grown more frequent.

The lawmaker expects cross-aisle support for this bill in both the House and the Senate.