Question about older magic bands and safety

[twinklebug]

We have quite a few chemical engineers around here, so hoping one or others who already know might answer this.

I have many older magic bands I've been holding onto from the trips my kids and I had over the years, each has their name and the year on the back. I had noticed the silicone gives off some bloom, a white powdery substance over time. Figured, just wash them and be done.

Last night as part of my organization efforts I decided to wash them and put them on a wreath for Christmas. It was going well enough until about 15 minutes in a major headache and nausea ramped up. I never feel like that. Stepping away from them helped, but it returned anytime I got close to them. I had to quickly bag the project and pop it aside to start feeling better.

I need to know more about that white powder and the strong kind of rubbery odor they give off. Clearly I react to it, but I'm oversensitive to many things. Is it safe? Should I trash (or recycle) these?

I didn't take a pic of the bands before I cleaned them, they look fine now, they just have a rubbery smell. For those who don't know what I'm talking about with "white powder" adding a link to an older thread about the residue, no answers there: https://www.disboards.com/threads/magicband-white-residue.3701429/

It's clearly a chemical reaction, not mold, mildew or dust.

 

[VGCgroupie]

We have older magic bands we just used and havent noticed anything like this.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Thinking it could possibly be from the battery.. did you submerge them to wash?

 

[LoveDaisy]

I have older magic bands (going back to original ones) and have never seen a white powered. How are you storing them? Could it be mold?

 

[twinklebug]

Thinking it could possibly be from the battery.. did you submerge them to wash?

That's a good thought. The body of the MBs don't seem to be swollen as one might find with bad batteries.
I wiped them down with a soapy cloth, did not dunk them in water. They were turning powdery years before I washed them.

I have older magic bands (going back to original ones) and have never seen a white powered. How are you storing them? Could it be mold?

They were stored in open-air for the last 20 years or less depending on age, simply had them chained together on the back of the door of the walk in closet.

It's a chemical added to keep the silicon from drying and breaking down in the sun that seeps out of the plastic, well documented except no one really goes into the safety of the chemical or what it is exactly, which is why I'm hoping some chemical engineers might read this and pop in.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I wiped them down with a soapy cloth, did not dunk them in water.


They were stored in open-air for the last 20 years or less depending on age, simply had them chained together on the back of the door of the walk in closet.

It's a chemical added to keep the silicon from drying and breaking down in the sun that seeps out of the plastic, well documented except no one really goes into the safety of the chemical or what it is exactly, which is why I'm hoping some chemical engineers might read this and pop in.

I did not realize they made them 20 years ago Mine are from 2021 and thought they were the "old" ones so my comments are null.

 

[twinklebug]

I did not realize they made them 20 years ago Mine are from 2021 and thought they were the "old" ones so my comments are null.

LOL, I may be off on the 20 years since we didn't really start going until around 2005 and I don't think they existed back then yet, but we did have the first round there. There's about 40 bands all together not counting the few still in the suitcases.

 

[VGCgroupie]

LOL, I may be off on the 20 years since we didn't really start going until around 2005 and I don't think they existed back then yet, but we did have the first round there. There's about 40 bands all together not counting the few still in the suitcases.

I will stick around because I am interested if any chemical engineers have any input.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

I just went and got my original from 2013... nothing appears wrong with it. I also put it in water for a few minutes and nothing is wrong with it...

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

That's a good thought. The body of the MBs don't seem to be swollen as one might find with bad batteries.
I wiped them down with a soapy cloth, did not dunk them in water. They were turning powdery years before I washed them.


They were stored in open-air for the last 20 years or less depending on age, simply had them chained together on the back of the door of the walk in closet.

It's a chemical added to keep the silicon from drying and breaking down in the sun that seeps out of the plastic, well documented except no one really goes into the safety of the chemical or what it is exactly, which is why I'm hoping some chemical engineers might read this and pop in.

My thought from you saying they were hanging chain linked in a walk in closet is... dust...
Then you breathed in the dust as you wiped them down.

 

[twinklebug]

My thought from you saying they were hanging chain linked in a walk in closet is... dust...
Then you breathed in the dust as you wiped them down.

Well, I am severely allergic to dust too (dust mites), so that would cause issues with me, but that's not it. Consider what a blue MB would look like if it were dropped into a bowl of baby powder.

I found an article about silicon blooming, the dusty coating is finer on the MBs than pictured here though.

 

[Mle8308]

I'd throw them away if you think they are causing an allergic reaction.

 

[twinklebug]

I'd throw them away if you think they are causing an allergic reaction.

That's just it, I don't think it's an allergic reaction but rather a chemical reaction. What I'd like to know is if there's a way to negate the aging process of the polymer/rubber with a coating as I'd like to keep them. I'd also like to know if that white powder is actually dangerous, if so, THEN I will dispose of them.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have 14 of the original style bands in the drawer next to my desk where I sit each day - less than 2' away from me. Some are from the first time MB's were introduced as we were at Pop during the trial period. (Note - no MB's are 20 years old as they were first introduced in 2013. The oldest bands are only 12 years old.)

I have no issues at all with them. Yes, some have a bit of a dusty colour to them but that happened years ago when we wore them to the water parks and in the pools. No changes since then.

OP, if they are causing you trouble I would toss them. No sense getting ill over something like an old MB.

 

[FastPasser.]

As previously posted MBs we’re released to the public 2013 however they were given to CMs before that for testing.

My test MB is still in the box and has never been used, I’m not a fan. Just checked and it looks as good now as it did on the day I got it. No powder, no smell, no color fading or discoloration.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I have way more magicbands than I should admit sitting in a drawer in my office. Some of my oldest ones have that whitish residue/faded rubber look. Like PP it’s not really new, they were starting to do that way back when we retired them. We’re pretty abusive with them in terms of pools, water parks, sunscreen, sun, etc and those first generation ones would eventually get like that, in our experience. YMMV of course.

 

[bcbmommy]

We have quite a few chemical engineers around here, so hoping one or others who already know might answer this.

I have many older magic bands I've been holding onto from the trips my kids and I had over the years, each has their name and the year on the back. I had noticed the silicone gives off some bloom, a white powdery substance over time. Figured, just wash them and be done.

Last night as part of my organization efforts I decided to wash them and put them on a wreath for Christmas. It was going well enough until about 15 minutes in a major headache and nausea ramped up. I never feel like that. Stepping away from them helped, but it returned anytime I got close to them. I had to quickly bag the project and pop it aside to start feeling better.

I need to know more about that white powder and the strong kind of rubbery odor they give off. Clearly I react to it, but I'm oversensitive to many things. Is it safe? Should I trash (or recycle) these?

I didn't take a pic of the bands before I cleaned them, they look fine now, they just have a rubbery smell. For those who don't know what I'm talking about with "white powder" adding a link to an older thread about the residue, no answers there: https://www.disboards.com/threads/magicband-white-residue.3701429/

It's clearly a chemical reaction, not mold, mildew or dust.

Yes! I just pulled ours out, and they all have a white powdery substance on them.