Yoyo water balls, an item that was permanently banned for sale by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission in 2015, unfortunately remains in shops in Port Moresby.
The ICCC is now calling on all businesses engaged in its importation, distribution and sale to immediately cease or be prosecuted.
The permanent ban was imposed on 19th March, 2015.
However a recent product safety survey conducted by ICCC inspectors and officers in NCD identified a number of traders selling the banned product in their shops.
Out of the 52 shops inspected during the product safety survey, eight of them were found to be selling yoyo water balls: Shop Well Limited, Mountain, Friend Limited, Sabama Supermarket, M-Jali Trading, Ping An Taurama 2, A-Mart, Hong Cheng, Waigani Bulk Traders and Y & Q Trading.
ICCC has commenced its investigations into the sale of this permanent banned product and will soon be prosecuting those traders who are not complying with the requirements of the product safety provisions within the ICCC Act.
Yoyo balls have been banned in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and two states in the US as these products can cause strangulation and other adverse effects to children.
Other items also banned by ICCC include certain baby dummies, soothers and pacifiers that do not meet product safety requirements, toy-like cigarette lighters, small high powered magnets and the Karicare Infant Formula.