Party balloons with excessive levels of cancer-causing chemicals have been discovered for sale on popular online platforms such as Debenhams and eBay. Independent tests conducted by consumer group Which? revealed that some balloons being sold by third-party sellers exceeded permissible limits by up to six times, posing serious health risks.
Which? conducted tests on 21 packs of latex balloons purchased from various online marketplaces and found that 8 out of the 21 packs contained concentrations of potentially carcinogenic chemicals well above the UK’s legal limit, making their sale illegal. Examples included balloons from AliExpress, eBay, The Range, and Debenhams, which contained harmful levels of nitrosamines and nitrosatable substances.
In a concerning incident, a couple unwittingly bought cancer-causing balloons from Amazon Marketplace for their child’s birthday, only to receive a warning a year later about the hazardous chemicals present in the balloons. The alert highlighted the significant health risks associated with the balloons, emphasizing the dangers of exposure to carcinogens through contact or ingestion.
Individuals are urged to purchase balloons marked with CE/UKCA certifications to ensure compliance with safety standards. Which? also recommends using a pump to inflate balloons to avoid direct contact with the mouth, especially for children under eight years old.
The companies implicated in the tests emphasized their commitment to customer safety, with AliExpress, Debenhams, eBay, and Shein promptly removing the flagged products from their platforms upon notification. Wilko recalled their balloons for further testing despite previous safety assurances to prioritize customer well-being.
The discovery of cancer-causing chemicals in party balloons underscores the importance of stringent safety checks to protect consumers, especially children, from potentially harmful products.