In Seoul, toxic substances found in children's clothes from China 622 times above the legal limit
Regular inspections by the city found again high concentrations of chemicals in baby clothing sold by online platforms like Temu, Shein and AliExpress. Other countries in Asia have reported similar problems with Chinese e-commerce.
Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The latest inspection by the Seoul Metropolitan Government of products from China sold by online retailers like Temu, Shein and AliExpress discovered toxic substances in children's clothes up to 622 times the permitted level.
Local authorities, which perform regular tests, raised the alarm last August on products sold on Chinese e-commerce websites, explaining that seven out of 26 items for children and babies contained harmful chemicals.
The Korea Herald reports, for example, that a children’s jacket sold on Temu contained phthalate plasticisers (substances that can disrupt endocrine functions) at levels nearly 622 times higher than the legal limit in South Korea.
In a jumpsuit, also sold on Temu, the levels of the substances were 294 times higher than the legal limit, with the garment’s pH level at 7.8, while the allowed range in South Korea is between 0.4 and 7.5.
A pair of children’s shoes sold on AliExpress contained lead levels five times higher than allowed, while the level for overalls was 19 times above the legal limit. The same platform sold baby onesies with 3.5 times the permitted level of phthalate plasticisers.
Municipal authorities in Seoul said they plan to conduct further safety tests focusing on seasonal products, like children's toys and Christmas decorations, which will be inspected next month.
Other countries in Asia have also blocked sales from Chinese platforms. In Indonesia the authorities noted that direct sales from Chinese factories to consumers violate Indonesian law, which requires the presence of an intermediary or a distributor.
Vietnam also threatened to block Chinese online retailers for failing to register with the government before starting operations.
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12/02/2016 15:14
