Six Companies Announce Recalls of Buckyballs and Buckycubes Magnet Sets

Six retailers announced April 12 a recall of Buckyballs and Buckycubes high-powered magnet sets due to ingestion hazard, following importer Maxfield & Oberton Holdings’ refusal of a voluntary recall, said the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The voluntary recall was agreed to by Barnes & Noble; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Brookstone; some Hallmark retailers; Marbles the Brain Store; and ThinkGeek.

Buckyballs and Buckycubes consist of sets of numerous, small, high-powered magnets, said CPSC. These sets vary in the number of magnets included and come in a variety of colors. Individual magnets in the set are about 5 millimeters in diameter, it said. Individual magnets in Buckyballs are spherical and individual magnets in Buckycubes are cube-shaped. CPSC said these products contain defects in the design, warnings and instructions, which pose a substantial risk of injury and death to children and teenagers.

The commission filed an administrative complaint against Maxfield & Oberton Holdings in July 2012, after discussions between CPSC and the company didn’t result in a voluntary recall. The case is still ongoing (here). According to CPSC, the commission has only filed four administrative complaints in the past 11 years.