A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department today (September 9) urged members of the public especially parents to stop their children from playing an unsafe toy with expandable plastic beads.
The unsafe toy came in two forms – one marked with “Crystal Baby” and another marked with “water babies”. In the former, beads, each measuring about 2mm in diameter, were placed in a plastic container in the shape of a tiny baby milk bottle marked with wordings “Crystal Baby” and put on sale in vending machines. For the latter, beads were sold in pack marked with wordings “water babies”.
The spokesman made the appeal after the Department, having consulted the Department of Health and the Government Laboratory, found that some toy samples obtained from the market had failed to comply with the statutory safety requirements for toys.
In the test conducted by the Government Laboratory, the plastic beads of the toy expanded over six times in diameter after being soaked in water. Such expansion is about 12 times more than the allowable expansion limit of 50% in the safety standard.
According to the Department of Health, the marked expansion in size of the toy poses a potential hazard including asphyxia and gastro-intestinal obstruction, which can be fatal, if beads of the toy are swallowed by children.
The non-compliance of the prescribed safety standard will pose a high risk to children playing the toy.
In a recent operation, Customs officers seized 1,271 bottles and 1,049 packs of the problematic toy from 19 retailers.
The Customs spokesman said, “Customs investigation is continuing with a view to taking appropriate actions against the companies or persons, including bringing prosecution or issuing written warnings.” So far, Customs has issued Prohibition Notices to two retailers to stop them from selling the unsafe toy.
Under the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import unsafe toys into Hong Kong.
The maximum penalty for the offence is a fine of $100,000 and an imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and a fine of $500,000 and an imprisonment for two years on subsequent conviction.
To report about unsafe toys and children's products, consumers can call the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or write to the Consumer Protection Bureau, Customs and Excise Department at 11/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point.
Ends/Tuesday, September 9, 2008
