Health scare for parents
2006-05-31 22:03
Beijing - China has publicised a triple
health scare for parents, warning of poisonous baby bottles,
toxic children's clothes and unsafe toys.
Health officials in China - where fake baby powder led to
the deaths of at least 13 babies two years ago - were searching
supermarkets for baby bottles "that may have been made from
recycled compact discs", the Shanghai Daily said.
The bottles, first discovered in a spot check and since
found in more than 10 wholesalers, contained twice the legal
limit of hydroxybenzene, a chemical that dissolves in heated
milk and causes liver and kidney damage, the newspaper said.
Reclaimed plastic, hidden in sugar bags, was used to make
the bottles because it is "much cheaper than clean material" a
factory manager was quoted as saying.
Three factories had been closed, it said.
Harmful dye
Recent tests in the booming southern province of Guangdong
had revealed the presence of aromatic amine - a harmful dye
that can cause bladder or urethra cancer if it comes into
extended contact with skin - in about 10% of inspected
children's clothing, the China Daily reported.
The test for aromatic amine was one of eight that took
place. Only half the clothes passed all the tests, while a
similar nationwide study found 37.8% had failed.
The national study also examined toys, failing 83.3% of cloth toys and 37% of toys overall, the China Daily
said.
It didn't elaborate.
In 2004, China launched a crackdown on milk powder sales
after at least 13 babies died and nearly 200 fell ill after
being fed fake milk powder in a scandal that drew attention to
the widespread problem of pirated goods.
An inspection team also found more than 50 companies had
produced inferior-quality milk.