VIC: Permanent ban on small, high powered magnets - News alert

The Federal Government has announced a permanent ban on small, high-powered magnets used in certain novelty items marketed to adults.

The magnets can cause serious injury or death if swallowed or inhaled by children.

There is currently an interim ban order on the products, which was extended last month by the Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Michael O’Brien. The Federal Government’s permanent ban order comes into effect later this week.

The magnets cannot be sold or made available for sale. The banned products include:

• BuckyBalls
• Buckycubes
• Nanodots
• Neocubes
• Neodymium sphere magnets
• Xcube.

For more information about the dangers and specific details about the banned items, view our earlier news alert - Small powerful magnets banned.

Businesses must not sell these products and must remove them from sale, including online sales.

Consumer Affairs Victoria’s inspectors visit retailers regularly to ensure banned products are removed from shelves and to seize banned items.

The number of injuries from small, high-powered magnets is increasing. The Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit reported 203 ‘ingestion of magnets’ incidents in the 15 years to 2010; 43 per cent involved ‘magnetic balls or spheres’.

There has been a substantial increase in incidents since 2005.

For more information, view our Product Safety page.

Contact details