US safety commissioners blast Trump appointee's delay of ruling on water beads

CNN

4 days ago

Source: CNN
Water beads have long been criticized for being dangerous, even fatal, for kids. Now two members of a government watchdog are tearing into a decision by the acting chair of the body to delay a final ruling on the toys.
For years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for issuing safety requirements and recalls of consumer products, has been stressing the danger of water beads. The agency said it is aware of a 10-month-old girl who died in 2023 related to swallowing water beads.
The CPSC was scheduled to issue a final rule on water beads Wednesday, but two members of the commission say that it's been blocked without explanation.
'Yesterday, July 16, 2025, we were supposed to see a final rule that would have protected children from life-threatening hazards tied to water beads,' Consumer Product Safety Commission member Richard Trumka, Jr. said in a scathing statement Thursday. Instead acting chair Peter Feldman, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, 'blocked the agency from delivering on that promise, without even bothering to explain why,' Trumka, Jr. wrote.
Trumka also accused Feldman of canceling this year's priorities hearing, in which consumers would share their testimonies about the dangers of water beads.
'Children's lives are too important for inaction. Acting Chair Feldman, it's time to get off the sidelines and start working for consumer safety,' Trumka wrote.
Another commissioner, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, also issued a statement expressing disappointment with the delays on both draft final rules, urging Feldman 'to be transparent with the public and explain why.'
In a statement, the CPSC denied rules were delayed and said the agency was 'adhering to the appropriate process' and that Trump's executive orders are to 'promote interagency review of proposed regulations.'
'It is unfortunate that the Democrats have chosen children's safety as a pretense to protest the President. Despite their deliberate attempts to frustrate President Trump's agenda, CPSC is not beholden to any artificial deadline set by the Commission's Democrats,' a CPSC spokesperson said.
The stinging words come as the president has attempted to purge the independent watchdog of commissioners appointed by Biden, firing three members of the five-person commission in the past year before they were reinstated by judges. The case is pending before the Supreme Court.
The tiny balls made out of extremely absorbent polymer material can expand to 100 times their initial size and weight when exposed to liquid – including liquids inside the body when they're ingested. When children swallow them, they're in danger of suffering a blocked digestive or respiratory tract, or poisoning by toxic chemicals.
The CPSC currently has a warning for water beads and urges parents and caregivers to remove those products from any environment with children.
Amazon, Walmart and Target all voluntarily stopped selling water beads marketed for children after pressure from consumers, the CPSC, lawmakers and public health officials.
The CPSC is made up of four commissioners and the acting director, Feldman. Feldman was nominated by Trump to be a commissioner in his first term, was then renominated and confirmed, and became acting chairman in January 2025.
In May, Trump fired three Biden-nominated CPSC commissioners – Trumka, Hoehn-Saric and Mary Boyle – before their terms ended.
But in June, a federal district court reinstated those members. The Trump administration filed an appeal, asking the Supreme Court to step in on an emergency basis to permit the firings. Trump notched a victory in May when the Supreme Court said Trump didn't have to re-hire officials at two independent federal labor agencies.
The CPSC also delayed a ruling last week on button battery hazards in childrens' toys without explanation. When these small batteries are swallowed, a child's saliva could connect the circuit which could then burn the child's esophagus.
CNN's Shania Shelton and Michael Williams contributed to this report.
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