It could be a very ambitious person’s dream to have legislation named after. But in this case, the law’s naming has a sad or, at best, comforting reason. The US law that should ban the sale of hazardous water beads is named after Esther Jo. The little girl died, just 10 months old, from the effects of water bead obstruction.
Water beads are very small plastic balls. Made of superabsorbent material, they can expand to more than a thousand times their original size when in contact with liquid. While they can be fascinating to watch, it is very important to be aware of the serious risks they pose if ingested or inhaled. Due to their form, colour and size, the products may easily be mistaken for foodstuff (sweets). When the water beads absorb bodily fluids, they can cause severe injuries that may be life-threatening. Water beads ingested by a child may cause fatal occlusion of the digestive system. Understanding these dangers can help prevent accidental harm and keep everyone, especially very young children, safe.
If that is realised, then the law bearing Esther’s name has achieved its goal.
The full story by Kids in Danger (KID), a nonprofit organisation that protects children by fighting for product safety, can be down found here: https://kidsindanger.org/wp-content/https://www.productip.com/uploads/2024/05/Esthers-Law-water-beads-release.pdf
Read Esther Jo’s in memoriam here: https://thatwaterbeadlady.org/in-memorium
Regardless of US legislation, these water beads will and have been recalled from the EU market.
