About 2.4M MEGA magnetic toys recalled
Small magnets in several of the company's toys can fall out and pose a safety hazard if injested or inhaled, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Toy maker MEGA Brands has recalled about 2.4 million magnetic toys due to a choking hazard, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Monday.
The CPSC said small magnets inside 1.3 million MagnaMan, and 1.1 million Magtastik and Magnetix Jr. toys can fall out and can be swallowed or inhaled. If more than one magnet is ingested, they can attract each other and cause internal damage or blockages which can be fatal.
The CPSC said it and MEGA Brands received 44 reports of magnets coming loose, including one incident in where a 3-year-old boy needed to have a magnet removed from his nose.
MEGA Brands recalled several million Magnetix toys last year for a similar problem. The toys were manufactured in China.
According to the CPSC, the affected toys were sold in stores between January 2005 and December 2007.
MagnaMan figures have body parts attached to each other by magnets and the Magtastik and Magnetix Jr. toys include plastic rods with embedded magnets that connect to colored metal ball joints.
Consumers are being urged to stop using the toys and return them to MEGA Brands for a free replacement.