The three top U.S. retailers—Amazon, Target, and Walmart—have announced they’re suspending sales of water-bead products marketed to young children due to growing safety concerns.
The small, colorful balls—sometimes no larger than a pinhead—are made of superabsorbent polymers that can grow to 100 times their original size when exposed to water. They are often sold as toys, including in craft activity kits, and as sensory tools for children with developmental disabilities.
