Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? You might remember the gluey and smelly balloon toy from our younger days. Yes! That toy where you have to blow some sort of glue at the end of a thin stick. Once you blow it from your mouth, the glue will transform into a transparent balloon.
Is the balloon big? Well, that depends on you. You have to be careful when you blow the gluey stuff as it tends to burst if the balloon gets too big.
Nevertheless, have you ever wondered if the balloon toy is safe for us, especially children? The glue has a very strong chemical smell. Have you noticed?
Picture: Benchmark Institute
We might have the answer for you, cited from Channel News Asia:
According to Associate Professor Ang Wee Han from the National University Of Singapore, the toy may be harmful to children. The ingredients of the glue stuff are likely Polyvinyl acetate, acetone, and ethyl acetate. Furthermore, there might also be some colouring agent as one of the ingredients.
Out of the ingredients, acetone is the most concerning.
“Acetone easily evaporates and will be readily inhaled and absorbed into the body,” said Professor Ang.
Moreover, people can get headaches, confusion, and nausea, when exposed to too much of the fumes.
Have you ever experienced this before when playing with the toy balloon?
Source: Channel News Asia
