A Major Problem with Loom Bands

[Buckeye]

A while ago I posted a photo of a loom band bracelet my Grandaughter made using some centrebands from slimlines. Yesterday my wife told me about the 3 year old daughter of one of her colleagues who had been taken to hospital after a seizure. They couldn't find anything and she had another seizure, she ended up being admitted to Great Ormond Street and it turns out that the loom bands she had been playing with exude a chemical that was causing the seizures. Apparently it is a well known (maybe to the medics) that a lot of the loom bands from china use illegal chemicals and that to be safe should come with packaging that contains a certain symbol. We no longer have the packaging so we have disposed of all the loom bands and will replace them with certified bands.

Peter

 

[PhillH]

Wow, thanks for the share, my youngest is mad about making these things.

Had no idea.

I'll have a check on the stuff in the house.

 

[Walter]

There is always some criminal cheapskate who is prepared to sell dangerous cheap copies and couldn't care less about anything but profit. Thanks for the heads up Peter, I will pass it on to friends with kids.

 

[Buckeye]

Wow, thanks for the share, my youngest is mad about making these things.

Had no idea.

I'll have a check on the stuff in the house.

I will ask my wife what the symbol was as I have forgotten, it's best to buy them from a reputable seller. Something I forgot to say was that it is the plastic charms and connectors that are the worst and are also thought to be carcinogenic. My wife is researching it so if she finds anything more concrete I will let you know.

Peter

Peter

 

[Vic Perrin]

Peter if they carry the CE mark they are supposed to be Ok

Vic

 

[Buckeye]

Peter if they carry the CE mark they are supposed to be Ok

Vic

That's the one Vic, unfortunately the packaging was thrown away so we are taking no chances, I can always buy more.

Peter

 

[Vic Perrin]

That's the one Vic, unfortunately the packaging was thrown away so we are taking no chances, I can always buy more.

Peter

We done exactly the same Peter with my Grandaughters she had boxes of them. Initially they said it was the amount of chemicals that the loom band charms contained and that the actual bands were ok. We got rid of the lot just in case and brought her some CE marked stuff .

Vic

 

[paulm]

People who trade in this stuff should be hung up by the balls, putting our kids at risk to make their fortunes.

 

[Buckeye]

We done exactly the same Peter with my Grandaughters she had boxes of them. Initially they said it was the amount of chemicals that the loom band charms contained and that the actual bands were ok. We got rid of the lot just in case and brought her some CE marked stuff .

Vic

I had never heard of the problem before yesterday. I bought her a bumper 7000 package and several 600 packs with special colours, so I have been thinking if I can cast them in acrylic

Peter

 

[chas_41_uk]

Peter if they carry the CE mark they are supposed to be Ok

Unfortunately the people who are selling the cheap chinese imports (irrespective of what the product is) and the Chinese producers aren't worried about CE marks and will quite happily get the packaging printed with a copy of the CE mark :nonono:

All you can do is go to a reputable retailer as they usually buy from kosher suppliers

 

[wm460]

Unfortunately the people who are selling the cheap chinese imports (irrespective of what the product is) and the Chinese producers aren't worried about CE marks and will quite happily get the packaging printed with a copy of the CE mark :nonono:

So true.

All you can do is go to a reputable retailer as they usually buy from kosher suppliers

And hope some one in the supply chain isn't substituting the dodgy stuff .:nonono::nonono:

 

[Penpal]

Thanks for the warnings passed on to the granddaughter.

Peter.

 

[silver]

Just for your information Peter.

I understood it was only the charms they put on them and not the bands themselves that was a problem.

See this link from Loom band cancer warning as rogue 'charms' contain deadly chemicals | Daily Mail Online


So if you have loom charms you might want to think again.

We checked our Grandsons set and they had the CE mark but didn't have the packaging for the charms so they went in the bin.

 

[Jim]

Just seen this Peter, i have my son here today, he slept over night as he and my other son were at the dog track last night, i will pass this info on so that they can also check their looms ..

 

[Buckeye]

We got all the loombands over here and sure enough the CE mark was there on one of the boxes that holds a few thousand of them, there were several bags without any details so they are in the bin.

As I understand it, the charms are the real problem, but the bands can also contain chemicals that are not good for the human body and maybe carcinogenic, I think it is plasticisers that leach into the skin.

Peter