AIBU to hate aqua beads?

[StarlightRobot]

Hi all,

I have multiple packets of unused aqua beads which were given to my children years ago and haven’t been used. I want to throw them out but worry about them sitting in landfill forever or one day being ingested by some poor animal. I think I will chuck them out and just wrap them up first so they don’t end up loose.

AIBU to think these are an awful product from an environmental perspective? If plastic straws are banned, surely these should be banned too.

I would also love any advice or opinions regarding the best way to get rid of them.

I thought those beads were generally biodegradable?
I don’t think it’s the same as a plastic straw which doesn’t break down at all.

I use them for my bugs so they don’t drown in their water bowls.

They do have a use.

Offer them on FB to the bug people.

@sunsetsites are they biodegradable? That would be great news. I have literally been storing these things because I was worried about the environmental impact!

Around here waste is incinerate, so I would just bin them. Horrible stuff, they swell up with moisture and don't show up on trays, so can be very dangerous to children.

Just to clarify, they are small hard beads, not water or gel filled Orbeez

I think the water ones are biodegradable over a reasonable time period, but the plastic ones you have to iron are not. It might depend on the brand.
I mean they’re still not ideal necessarily, but by the same vein craft sparkles and stickers are also an issue.

I’m probably being really daft, but what do you mean? Can you explain? Aquabeads go really sticky in water so I don’t understand

I hate them just because as a kids craft they are bloody impossible to use. My daughter had no issue aged 4 doing the Hama beads that you iron, but got aqua beads for her 6th birthday and they are far harder to use.

hadn’t even thought of the environmental impact. Lots of kids stuff is not great environmentally though.

They are the ones that you drip water onto, so they can be stuck together in a shape.

I also have a large tub of hammer beads from IKEA which you iron, also a gift. I hate these too because, again, the potential harm of zillions of plastic beads being produced just so that kids can make them into shapes (which in my experience are discarded and forgotten!). And I feel guilty for owning them, even though it’s not my fault.

If I was the leader of the world, I would ban them all because they look like exactly the type of thing that could be ingested by animals.

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon

The problem is that I am connected on FB to the culprit who gave these to my children in the first place…

Sadly, I think I will have to send them to landfill

Don’t know if this is an idea that you’d like or hate op, but I used a lot of my kids hamma beads to make Christmas decorations, like snowflakes to hang on the tree. Is there scope to use them for something? Appreciate some people hate craft and crafted things though

They are a paediatric doctors worst nightmare and should be banned

@catface24 yes, that’s a good idea. Also once they are stuck together at least they are in a bigger piece which may be less likely to be ingested, although still eventually going to sit in landfill for perpetuity 😣

YANBU, it's also annoying to get a kit like that with tons of tiny parts as they get everywhere

Gift them back to the person who gave them to your kids on their next birthday/christmas. They clearly thought they are an appropriate gift to receive so surely won't complain!

Why would you put them in landfill rather than just letting your children enjoy them and be creative, even if the final product does end up in landfill?

They won't sit in landfill anyway, the whole point of them is they are soluble.

@ImImmortalNowBabyDoll

My children haven’t been enjoying them- I’ve had these for at least 5 or so years now and they aren’t really interested. They have used them in the past and can use them whenever they want, but I have so so many! They were given to me in bulk. I do like the idea of using some for Christmas decorations as a poster above suggested, they may be sort of interested in that.

Goodness, what a strange assumption that I do not let my children use them. Where did that come from? But then this is AIBU

I also did just google this when another poster said they will biodegrade. There was a general statement that aqua beads will take 10 years to degrade, but I am also not entirely right for the ones I have. Mine look pretty dodgy, small hard beads, made in China stuff and definitely not an ethical product

The confusion is coming from water beads vs aqua beads.

Water beads take a long time to degrade.

Aqua beads are soluble, that's how they stick together. Put a few in a glass of water if you're not sure which they are- water beads will swell up and turn into a gel-like ball, aqua beads will slowly dissolve.

You were giving the impression that you were keeping them stored away as you don't like them.

@ImImmortalNowBabyDoll

I don’t think I gave that impression, I think you drew that assumption but it’s not unusual for posters here to jump to odd conclusions. It’s not a big deal- I normally expect some hostility on mumsnet, even though this topic is a pretty neutral one.

I will definitely test these to see what happens. It would be great if they swell up and dissolve. Fingers crossed

As for my giant tub of hamma beads- I will hold onto these until Christmas in case there is interest. Then I will have to think about disposal. The tub I have is so big that we could make 50 decorations and still have plenty left…

Take them to a charity shop, put them on Vinted for a very cheap price or free on Facebook marketplace- someone will be able to get use out of them.