Canada to Ban Small and Powerful Magnet in Toys

Health Canada is planning to follow the lead of the United States and ban the sale of small, powerful magnets. These magnets pose a danger to young children. Health Canada is now taking steps to remove these products from the marketplace and has determined that such products are in violation of the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA).

In a press release issued earlier this month detailing several steps to be taken to improve the safety of consumer products, drugs and food, Health Canada stated that it will target magnet sets containing "more than one small powerful magnet, where the set is intended for use as a toy or for puzzle working, sculpture building, mental stimulation or stress relief, regardless of the intended age of the user". The agency has also expressed concern about children's toys containing small powerful magnets or magnetic components.

Health Canada requires that all toys on the Canadian marketplace conform to at least one of the latest versions of internationally respected safety standards, such as ASTM F963, EN 71, or ISO 8124 with respect to magnets or magnetic components.

"Small" is defined as a magnet or magnetic component that can be entirely enclosed in the small parts cylinder as illustrated in Schedule 1 of the Toys Regulations under the CCPSA.

"Powerful" is defined as a magnet with a magnetic flux index of 50 kg2mm2 or more (when tested according to the method described in section 8.24.1 of ASTM F963-11, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety).