China suspends exports of bead toys

China today froze exports of the popular bead toys as millions of them were pulled off the shelves in the US and Australia after many children fell sick on ingesting the beads containing a toxic chemical.

Ordering suspension of exports, China's quality control watchdog said it has sealed the bead toys, highly rated for its popularity with kids, at the level of the producer, whom it did not name and asked the quality control agencies to launch inspections.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine would release investigation results, the official Xinhua news agency said, as its action came in response to recall of 4.2 million "Acqua Dots" in the US and in Australia where the arts and crafts toy is sold under the brand name "Bindeez".

Spain has also ordered the toys to be withdrawn from the market in the latest series of recalls that has dealt another blow to the image of China's toy industry which produces 60 per cent of the global volume and four in every five toys sold in the US.

Nine children reportedly fell ill so far in the US and three in Australia after swallowing the beads, with most of them hospitalised. The US Consumer and Product Safety Commission said the beads that make up the toy contain an adhesive solvent that can turn toxic and cause unconsciousness, if swallowed.

"Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression or have seizures," a CPSC statement in the US warned.

"The Acqua Dots recall is one of the most serious announced by CPSC in recent years," Scott Wolfson, Deputy Director, CPSC, said in a comment under "urgent health and safety alert" posted on their website.