The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is urging families to check their children’s toy boxes and homes for Orb Funkee Monkee squeeze toys purchased from Walmart or Ollie’s Bargain Outlet stores between February 2025 and April 2026.
The soft, stretchable toys are filled with sand that could be contaminated with asbestos, the health department said, referencing a recall earlier this year from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Asbestos comes from minerals that create thin fibers when they crystallize and pose a human health risk when they enter the air. Consumers, especially children, immediately should stop using the recalled toys, the health department said. There is no safe amount of asbestos exposure.
Which Orb Funkee Monkee squeeze toys are affected by the recall?
Two models of Orb Funkee Monkee squeeze toys with the date code 3102491A have been recalled.
The first is model No. 17451, which is a toy that looks like a large golden “monkee.” The date code can be found on the hand of the golden monkee.
The second type involved in the recall is model No. 41929, and includes smaller “monkees” in various colors, including orange, purple and green. The date code is printed on the backs of the smaller monkees.
What should I do if I have a recalled Orb Funkee squeeze toy?
State health leaders suggest immediately taking the toy away from children and inspecting it to see whether it has broken open or sand has been exposed.
If the toy remains intact: Seal it in two heavy plastic bags and take it to a Type II licensed landfill for disposal. In metro Detroit, Type II licensed landfills include:
To find a map of other Type II landfills statewide, check out the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Michigan Materials Management Facilities map and select only the box for “Solid Waste Landfills – Type II.”
If the toy has been ripped, torn or if sand has escaped, do not attempt to sweep up the spilled sand or vacuum it up, which could spread asbestos in the air, making it easier to breathe in and cause long-term lung damage.
Instead, the state health department asks that residents call a contractor who is licensed to clean up and dispose of asbestos. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has an Asbestos Contractor Search on its website: https://asbestosprogram.apps.lara.state.mi.us/Contractor/ContractorSearch.
Anyone with concerns about the health risks of exposure to the sand in these toys can call the MDHHS Environmental Health Hotline at 800-648-6942, which is available 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos can be found in certain types of rock and soil. Its fibers are strong and heat resistant.
Because of those properties, for decades, asbestos was used in construction materials and insulation, in automobile parts such as clutches and brakes, paint and patching compounds, cement, shingles, flooring as well as coatings and wraps for pipes and furnaces.
In the mid-1920s, the first medical research papers began to link asbestos exposure to certain health problems. They reported that asbestos fibers too small to see with the naked eye could be inhaled when they were disturbed, triggering serious and sometimes deadly effects even years after exposure.
It wasn’t until decades later that the U.S. began to limit its use. To learn more, go to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website: https://www.epa.gov/asbestos
What health problems are associated with asbestos?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers asbestos a dangerous substance and urges people to avoid exposure.
The CDC reports that breathing in the tiny asbestos fibers can irritate lung tissues, and cause:
The state health department says asbestos is especially dangerous for children whose lungs are still developing, and can cause lasting lung problems.
Contact kristen Shamus: kshamus@freepress.com. Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bought this squeeze toy? Michigan warns of possible asbestos inside recalled items
Reporting by Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
