Kathrine Frich
Sand-filled monkey figures from the Orb Funkee brand have been recalled following the discovery of carcinogenic tremolite asbestos.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has urged parents to immediately remove two specific models of soft monkey figures from children’s rooms. The recall affects approximately 121,340 toys sold under the name Funkee Monkee.
These include model 17451, a large gold-colored monkey marketed as Gold Jumbo Monkee, and model 41929, an assortment of smaller monkeys in colors including orange, purple, and green. Both bear the date code 3102491A, printed either on the hand of the large monkey or on the back of the smaller figures.
The toys were sold at the U.S. chain Walmart and at discount stores Ollie’s Bargain Outlet from February 2025 through April of this year, priced from five to 40 dollars.
Asbestos in Sand Can Harm Children’s Lungs
The sand inside the soft figures is contaminated with fibrous tremolite, a form of asbestos. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies all six forms of asbestos as carcinogenic and links exposure to lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, ovarian cancer, and mesothelioma, which is cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen.
The danger arises particularly if the figures crack or are punctured, allowing the fine dust to escape. Tremolite’s long, thin fibers are so small that they can penetrate deep into the lungs and remain there for many years. Children are a particularly vulnerable group because diseases following asbestos exposure typically develop decades after initial contact, with a significant portion of a child’s lifespan still ahead of them.
How Parents Should Respond
Currently, no injuries or illnesses have been reported in connection with the toys. Nevertheless, the CPSC recommends that parents immediately remove the figures from children and contact the manufacturer, ABC Trading Inc., for a refund.
If a monkey has already broken, the recommendation is to wear a face mask and gloves, collect the leaked sand with damp cloths, and double-bag both the toy, cloths, and equipment in heavy-duty plastic bags, sealed with tape, and disposed of according to local hazardous waste regulations.
Although the Funkee Monkee figures have only been sold in the U.S., examples may have found their way into Danish homes via online stores or as gifts from visits across the Atlantic. Parents should therefore check drawers and boxes for model numbers 17451 and 41929 along with date code 3102491A before a toy ends up breaking.
