Water-walking balls withdrawn

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday moved to withdraw “water-walking balls” from the market, due to the serious risk of injury or death they pose to users.

The water-walking balls are large transparent plastic balls, which users climb into through a small sealable door. The ball is then inflated and sealed, before being used on water or grass.

Currently they are available for hire in Paphos, and according to one source, distributed by a single supplier.

The Competition and Consumer Protection department within the Commerce, Industry and Tourism ministry issued the warning about the balls yesterday, following a ban in several US states and several accidents.

“The risks from the use of the product are obvious: suffocation, drowning and injuries. The Competition and Consumer Protection cannot accept that there is a way to make them,” yesterday’s statement said:

“The product will be withdrawn immediately if found in the market without further notice.”

According to the UK’s Daily Mail, the US consumer product safety division also moved to ban the water-walking balls following two injuries

In the first, a five year old girl from Massachusetts reportedly passed out last year while inside a ball for a brief time.

In the second, a young boy reportedly suffered a broken arm when the ball he was in fell out of a shallow above-ground pool onto the hard ground.

Cyprus Consumer department has therefore urged consumers to identify these products where they are being rented or sold on the market, and deter others from using or buying them.

They have also urged shops to avoid the introduction and marketing of the products, reminding them that they are obliged to sell only safe products and face penalties if caught selling the balls.

The Customs Department will now prevent the import of water-walking balls into the island.

The European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for dangerous products, RAPEX, has also issued a warning about the balls, recommending that member states withdraw them from the market.

For more information call the consumer line on 1429.

 

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