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Magnetix Building Set Recall Expanded

More Serious Injuries Reported to Safety Regulators

April 20, 2007

Magnetix • Magnetix Building Set Recall Expanded • Magnetix Was Warned of Toy's Danger Prior to Child's Death • New Jersey Follows Up on Magnetix "Recall" • Child's Death Prompts Partial Recall of Magnetic Building Sets

Additional serious injuries to children reported following the March 31, 2006 recall announcement of Magnetix Magnetic Building Sets have prompted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Mega Brands America, Inc. to announce an expanded recall.

More than 4 million units are involved. The recall includes all sets, except newer Magnetix sets sold since March 31, 2006, that are age-labeled 6+ and sets that contain the following caution label:

"CAUTION: Do not ingest or inhale magnets. Attraction of magnets in the body may cause serious injury and require immediate medical care."

Mega Brands advises that sets currently being sold are safer and are not included in the recall.

To date, one death and 27 intestinal injuries have been reported.

Emergency surgical intervention was needed in all but one case. At least 1,500 incidents of magnets separating from the building pieces have been reported. Although the hazard was initially thought to be a problem primarily for children younger than six, it has since been learned that at least ten injuries involved children between the ages of 6 and 11 years old.

If a child swallows more than one tiny powerful magnet detached from the plastic building pieces or one such magnet and a metallic object, the objects can attract to each other inside the intestines and cause perforations and/or blockage, which can be fatal, if not treated immediately.

"CPSC is deeply concerned about the dangers that small, powerful magnets can pose to children if swallowed," said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. "In order for any product recall to be effective in protecting consumers, we must significantly reduce incidents and injuries from occurring after the recall is announced." Mega Brands has been cooperative in this expanded recall.

These older sets, which were manufactured in China, contain up to 250 plastic building pieces and 1/2-inch diameter steel balls. The building pieces include 1 1/2-inch squares, 1-inch triangles, cylinder rods, flexors, connectors, x-tenders, and curves and come in an assortment of colors such as metallic, primary, translucent, and glow in the dark.

Mass merchants and other toy and arts and crafts stores sold the sets nationwide for between $20 and $60, depending on the size of the set.

Consumers should stop using the recalled magnetic sets immediately and contact Mega Brands for a comparable replacement toy. If consumers are uncertain as to whether their product is being recalled, they can contact Mega Brands at (800) 779-7122 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.megabrands.com.

The CPSC is urging consumers to immediately report any incidents of loose magnets to the CPSC Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or to the CPSC Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

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