Parents across New Zealand, Australia and the United States are being warned to immediately stop using several popular Funkee squeeze toys after independent testing detected asbestos inside some products. The recall affects a range of stretchy and sand-filled toys sold at major retailers including Walmart, The Warehouse, Farmers, Toyworld, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Paper Plus.
The biggest concern centres around products marketed under the Funkee Monkee and Planet Fun brands, including the Funkee Monkee Mega PDQ toy with barcode 622222419295. Authorities say naturally occurring Chrysotile and Tremolite asbestos was found in some tested samples. Health officials stressed that exposure risk mainly happens if the toy splits open, leaks sand or becomes damaged during use.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 121,000 Orb Funkee squeeze toys have already been recalled in the United States. The affected products include the large golden “Monkee” squeeze toy, model number 17451, and smaller colourful monkee assortments listed under model 41929. The recalled toys carry date code 3102491A and were sold between February 2025 and April 2026 at Walmart and Ollie’s stores nationwide.
Full List Of Toys Named In The Recall
Product Safety New Zealand identified several affected toys linked to Planet Fun. These include:
- Funkee Monkee Mega PDQ – Barcode 622222419295
- Funkee Animalz Puppies Mega PDQ – Barcode 622222422288
- Funkee Animalz Axolotl Mega PDQ – Barcode 622222174590
- Funkee Pig Jumbo – Barcode 622222170899
- Funkee Monkee Jumbo – Barcode 622222168452
- Secret Menu Stretchee Foodz Asst PDQ – Barcode 622222168155
The products were reportedly sold at The Warehouse and Farmers from January 2025 to April 2026, while Toyworld and Paper Plus sold them between February 2025 and April 2026.
Health experts say asbestos exposure does not usually cause immediate symptoms, but long-term exposure has been linked to lung disease, mesothelioma and certain cancers. Health New Zealand noted that there is no completely safe level of asbestos exposure, although the overall risk for most households remains low because the quantity inside the toys is small.
Read More
What Families Should Do Immediately
Parents are being told not to throw the toys into normal household rubbish. Instead, the toy should be carefully placed into a double ziplock or heavy-duty plastic bag and returned to the store for a refund. If the toy has already burst open, authorities recommend wearing gloves and a mask while handling leaked material. Damp cloths should be used for cleanup instead of vacuuming or sweeping, which could spread fibres into the air.
The recall has triggered wider concern about safety testing standards for children’s toys imported into global markets. Swikblog recently reported on another asbestos-related consumer alert in Reject Shop Toy Recall Sparks Panic Across Australia After Asbestos Discovery, highlighting growing scrutiny around products containing sand-like filling materials.
Families who own any recalled Funkee products are being urged to stop use immediately and contact the retailer or manufacturer for official return instructions.
Make Swikblog your go-to source on Google for reliable updates, smart insights, and daily trends.
