To be worried about slime?

[AnxiousPeg]

My dd is obsessed with slime. She got some more today, but then I vaguely remembered something about some brands having unsafe levels of

Some ingredients cause skin burns
Some cause severe asthma
Some has been recalled

Throw it out

Do you know which brands specifically have been recalled?

Homemade slime is PVA glue, bicarb and contact lens solution. It's fine.

I've been making it for years and years and using it with children in schools, never any problems.

Was it this?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-northamptonshire-42830755

Ah thanks for that Bluebird That had actually slipped my mind (but I do remember that scare!). It was something more recent, like a couple of weeks ago...

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/real-life/in-the-news/the-biggest-craze-for-kids-right-now-could-actually-be-incredibly-dangerous/news-story/4965a3621a0f259d48ba943a449b44b4&ved=2ahUKEwiR3MPb5b_cAhVHIcAKHf0BCagQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1rC2cJ_LCuKhZ2OP5uyNIW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/real-life/in-the-news/the-biggest-craze-for-kids-right-now-could-actually-be-incredibly-dangerous/news-story/4965a3621a0f259d48ba943a449b44b4&ved=2ahUKEwiR3MPb5b_cAhVHIcAKHf0BCagQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1rC2cJ_LCuKhZ2OP5uyNIW

Think it was this.

No - this
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/6791757/kids-slime-toys-contain-dangerous-levels-of-chemical-that-causes-diarrhoea-and-harm-to-unborn-babies/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwj00KLC57_cAhUIC8AKHTxLChEQFjANegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw1kfkjByfwZlRFfkcUiqZlI&ampcf=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/6791757/kids-slime-toys-contain-dangerous-levels-of-chemical-that-causes-diarrhoea-and-harm-to-unborn-babies/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwj00KLC57_cAhUIC8AKHTxLChEQFjANegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw1kfkjByfwZlRFfkcUiqZlI&ampcf=1

(not previous one)

This article is also about slime recalled from amazon.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/slime-children-health-warning-toys-14916715.amp

I think the problem is the borax/boric acid which in high quantities/concentration can cause problems.

I thought it was the contact lense solution that was dodgy, happy to be told I'm wrong...

Oh cross post.
Same info but different source. :)

Happy to throw it all out... What I'd like to know, from those more scientifically minded than me, is how great is the risk? I can't turn back time. My daughter has played with various slimes... I realise a Sun article is likely to be sensationalist. I'd be interested to hear a sensible opinion.

The chemical in question is in the contact lens solution but not normally in a concentration which causes a problem. Hence ok for contact lens users.

(cross posts!)

I would think that anything you put directly into your eyes, like eye drops or lens solution which contains boric acid, should be safe to play with?

There was bath tub slime in the toy shop. I figure that’s a recipe for disaster going down the drain!

I guess I'm specifically worried about the infertility thing. My dd hasn't played with it all a huge amount - I guess I'm trying to nip the obsession in the bud... But this sort of hidden, unquantifiable danger really, really freaks me out.

You use it to clean contacts, and you rinse it off I think, you don't put it in your eyes.

We've made our own it's fine but do not leave on anything made of oak as it turns it black...

As far as I can tell, the risk is according to the amount present o it depends on the slime.
The worst case I've read was a girl who'd made her own. She was using the boric acid so was burned.
Risks are increased by length of time in contact and concentration of substance.
So if the concentration she was in contact with was low ie not one of the recalled ones, then she's at a low risk to have problems.

Would I know if it was one of the recalled ones? I mean, they are definitely not stil available?

It's used to rinse the contacts. You don't rinse it off as it's more sterile than tap water. So it does go in your eyes.

Please don't worry.

"The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has classified it as a serious health hazard, saying "this substance may damage fertility or the unborn child and cause serious eye irritation"."

Ie it could conceivably cause a prob if you're pregnant, and the things are very cautious so you'd probably need to eat loads or drink it or something. While pregnant.

Good to know little bird.

op there you go please don't worry.

I use powdered borax if I'm making it at home. It's such a small quantity.

If it's eaten or inhaled as a powder then yes, it could cause problems but older children don't generally tend to eat slime or snort powder.

DS has made some today, with supervision of course. He suffers with eczema on his hands and on the rare occasion he's made slime, it doesn't irritate it at all.

I don't know when they were taken off line. But they're not available now.
Personally I'm not that concerned about from the mess the stupid stuff makes!
But if you are then I'd chuck it and give her something thing else to play with. Cornflower and water makes an interesting and fun combination.

Thank you.

But could it damage the future fertility of a 7 year old child?