On December 12, 2024, The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved to establish new requirements for water beads under 16 CFR 1250 Safety Standard for Toys. This requirements will be effective on 12 March 2026.

• Scope

- Water bead toys and toys that contain water beads.

- Water bead means a various shaped liquid absorbent polymer, composed of materials such as, but not limited to, polyacrylamide and polyacrylate, which expands when soaked in liquid.

• Physical requirement

If the water beads as received or water beads removed from a toy, which are small parts, expand, shall remain whole while completely passing through the funnel test gauge or sieve test gauge, under its own weight after expansion.

• Chemical requirement

Water beads shall not have more than 325 µg acrylamide extractable from 100 small water beads (defined as <4 mm across the smallest diameter of the bead prior to hydration) or from one large water bead (defined as ≥4 mm across the smallest diameter of the bead prior to hydration).

• Labelling requirements

- Water bead toys, packaging of water bead toys, and the container of water beads must include the following warning:

- Products with contained water beads, such as balls filled with water beads, and the packaging must include the following warning:

URL：

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/12/2025-22643/safety-standard-for-toys-requirements-for-water-beads

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