Zen Magnets and Neoballs Recalled Due to Risk of Injury and Death
The high-powered products can be ingested and cause severe intestinal damage
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the government agency tasked with overseeing thousands of products, announced a mandatory recall today of about 10 million Zen Magnets and Neoballs magnets because of the risk they pose of injury and death if ingested.
The high-powered or “rare earth” magnets, which are each about the size of a BB pellet and sold in sets as desk toys for adults, can get into the hands of children, who may inadvertently swallow them, which can result in intestinal damage that can be fatal.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled magnets, keep them away from children, and contact Zen Magnets for a refund. (See below for recall details.)
Source: CPSC Source: CPSC
Recall Details
Products recalled: About 10 million Zen Magnets and Neoballs magnets, sold individually and in sets. Both products are high-powered 5-mm spherical magnets. Zen Magnets were sold individually and in sets of 72, 216 with six spares, and 1,728 with eight spares. Neoballs were sold individually and in sets in the following colors: silver, gold, red, orange, green, red, blue, and purple. “Zen Magnets” or “Neoballs” is printed on the packaging.
Sold at: ZenMagnets.com, Neoballs.com, and certain Colorado retailers listed in the CPSC recall announcement, beginning in January 2009 for between $12 and $264 per set, or individually for 6 to 10 cents per magnet.
The problem: When swallowed, the magnets can pull together, causing intestinal blockages, or they can burn holes in the lining of the intestines or stomach.
Zen Magnets is aware of two children who ingested Zen Magnets and required surgery to remove the magnets and parts of their intestines and bowels. In addition, the CPSC is aware of other reports of children and teenagers ingesting high-powered magnets and requiring surgery. A 19-month-old girl died after ingesting similar high-powered magnets.
The fix: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled magnets, keep them away from children, and return them to Zen Magnets for a refund.
How to contact the manufacturer: Call Zen Magnets at 844-936-6245, email at contact@zenmagnets.com, or go to the company’s website.
To report a product-related injury, go to the CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov website.