The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule that will establish a mandatory safety standard for water bead toys and toys that contain water beads, effective March 12, 2026. This rule also establishes acrylamide level limits for water beads and implements associated new testing requirements.
The CPSC states that water beads are various shaped, multi-colored or clear beads composed of water absorbing polymers, such as polyacrylamides and polyacrylates, that expand when soaked in liquid. When first purchased they are small and dehydrated, typically no larger than 7.0 mm in diameter, and are thus usually either hard, solid beads or soft-gelled beads.
Water beads are often sold in large quantity packages. They are also commonly included in toy products such as experiment kits, sensory kits, squeeze/sensory balls, and water pellet guns.
This rule requires importers, manufacturers, and private labelers of subject items to certify, based on testing by an ISO-accredited, CPSC-accepted third-party conformity assessment body, that covered items comply with the requirements of the rule.
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