Overstock.com Recalls High-Powered Magnet Sets Due to Ingestion Hazards
CPSC recall 13731 · announced April 15, 2013 · Maxfield & Oberton · 539 units affected
The product
This recall involves high-powered magnets sets with the brand name Buckyballs. The sets contain 216 silver-colored, spherical rare earth magnets, each about five millimeters in diameter.
The hazard
When two or more magnets are swallowed, they can link together inside a child's intestines and clamp onto body tissues, causing intestinal obstructions, perforations, sepsis and death. Internal injury from magnets can pose serious lifelong health effects.
What to do (per CPSC)
Overstock.com will contact each purchasing customer directly to coordinate the recall. Consumers should stop using the recalled high-powered magnet sets immediately, take all associated individual magnets away from children and teenagers, and contact Overstock.com for a full refund. Remedy type: Refund
Notes
Incidents (per CPSC): Overstock has received no reports of injuries. CPSC has received 54 reports of incidents involving children ingesting high-powered magnets resulting in 53 reports of medical intervention.
Sold at: Overstock.com and retailers nationwide from November 2010 through July 2012 for about $20.
Consumer contact: Overstock.com Inc. at e-mail miscellaneous@overstock.com or online at www.overstock.com for more information.
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission public recall data. This page reports official records and is not legal, medical, or repair advice.