Screenshot of Miniverse Make It Mini Lifestyle being recalled in USA and Canada
(22 million units recalled in US and Canada due to resins with irritating and sensitizing chemicals)
Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition has monitored the massive recall that is underway in North America involving millions of MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini toy sets with unused liquid resins containing irritant or sensitizing agents.
While the recall is currently specific to Canada for one million units and USA for 21 million units, the EcoWaste Coalition believed the general public should be informed and forewarned as some of the recalled toys are also sold locally, including in online shopping sites.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and the MGA Entertainment based in California, USA, which imported the products from China, the recalled toy sets have unused liquid resins, which pose risk of skin, eye and respiratory irritation and sensitization.
Based on the frequently asked questions (FAQ) list prepared by the company, the resins contain acrylates (hydroxyethyl methacrylate HEMA and isobornyl acrylate IBOA) in concentrations that are banned in children’s products as per the US Federal Hazardous Substances Act. “The resins when in liquid form or part of an uncured creation can cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation or sensitization when inhaled, touched, or ingested by children or adults,” the FAQ said, adding “after the resins cure, they no longer present the hazards identified.”
MGA has received 26 reports of incidents with this product from children and adults, including reports of skin burns and irritation, and respiratory irritation, with one report that a consumer’s asthma was triggered. Based on the information available to MGA, none of these incidents were of a critical nature.
For the information of consumers, the recall will apply to Miniverse products containing unused liquid resins, including “Make It Mini Appliances,” all models and series of “Make It Mini Food,” and “Make It Mini Lifestyle.” For the item number and universal product code (UPC) barcode, please refer to the CPSC announcement at https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/MGA-Entertainment-Recalls-Miniverse-Make-It-Mini-Sets-with-Unused-Liquid-Resins-Due-to-Risk-of-Skin-Eye-and-Respiratory-Irritation-and-Sensitization-Violation-of-the-Federal-Hazardous-Substances-Act
As described in the CPSC announcement, “most sets consist of a sphere which contains the materials required to assemble the intended miniature imitation ‘appliance,’ ‘food,’ or ‘lifestyle’ items. The resin packaging in each set may imitate food items such as a peanut butter jar, maple syrup, milk container, etc. and the resins when hardened imitate food.”
“The sphere consists of a disposable wrapper bearing ‘MGA’s Miniverse’ on a yellow burst background and ‘Make It Appliances,’ or ‘Make It Mini Food,’ in bright pink or ‘Make It Mini Lifestyle’ in salmon pink. The wrapper contains information related to the manufacturer’s identity and country-specific information in different languages.”
The EcoWaste Coalition has already requested the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reach out to the local market authorization holder for MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini toys to determine if a similar recall is warranted for certain products being offered for sale in the Philippines.
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