Toxic toy: The Customs & Excise Department urges the public, particularly parents, to stop children from playing with this dangerous toy, which releases hydrogen sulphide that may cause nausea, headache, irritation of airways and eyes, and even acute intoxication.

The Customs & Excise Department today urged the public, particularly parents, to stop children from playing with a dangerous toy that contains sulphur.

The toy is packed in a three-inch by four-inch foil bag containing sulphur compound powder and a small plastic bag of diluted acid.

According to package instructions, when someone squeezes the package to break the inner plastic bag, the sulphur compound powder comes into contact with the acid.

The package then inflates and bursts, giving off a noxious smell and releasing up to 20 mg of hydrogen sulphide - many times higher than the legal limit under statutory safety requirements for toys.

May cause acute intoxication

Hydrogen sulphide may cause nausea, headache and irritation of airways and eyes depending on its concentration. Exposure to a high concentration of hydrogen sulphide may even cause acute intoxication.

An expert group jointly convened by the World Health Organisation and other international authorities recommended a tolerable hydrogen sulphide concentration of 0.1 mg per cubic metre of air.

Customs officials warned non-compliance with the prescribed safety standard poses a high risk to children playing with the toy.

Four toy shops banned

Customs officers seized 263 of the toys and issued four Prohibition Notices to prevent the retailers concerned - three in Tuen Mun and one in Tseung Kwan O - from selling the unsafe toy.

Investigations are continuing and Customs officers will take appropriate administrative actions and/or prosecution actions against the companies for offences under the Toys & Children's Products Safety Ordinance.

The public may hand in their unused toys to the Consumer Protection & Prosecution Bureau of the Customs & Excise Department on the 11th floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point during office hours.

They may also call the special hotline, 2231 4173 (during office hours), or the Customs Enquiry Hotline, 2815 7711 (outside office hours), to arrange collection of the unsafe toy for disposal.

Under the Toys & Children's Products Safety Ordinance, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import unsafe toys into Hong Kong. The maximum penalty is a fine of $100,000 and an imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and $500,000 and two years imprisonment on subsequent conviction.