- WELLINGTON (XFN-ASIA) - Chinese-made
blankets are being recalled in Australia and New Zealand because they contain
high levels of potentially dangerous formaldehyde, an importer said.
-
- Amid rising concerns about the safety of Chinese exports
and tests showing high levels of the chemical in Chinese clothing imported
into New Zealand, consumers were warned to return the blankets.
-
- Wholesale firm Charles Parsons said the level of formaldehyde
in the Superlux brand of blankets 'may cause short-term skin or respiratory
irritation.'
-
- The recall came as New Zealand's Ministry of Consumer
Affairs said it plans next week to start testing Chinese-made clothing
for formaldehyde.
-
- But ministry general manager Liz MacPherson said there
were no New Zealand standards for the safe level of formaldehyde in clothing.
-
- Formaldehyde is used to prevent creasing in clothes and
fabrics but is also linked to health problems ranging from skin complaints
to cancer.
-
- http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2007/08/22/afx4042637.html
-
-
-
-
- China Concerned Over New Zealand Clothing
Safety Probe
- 8-23-7
-
- BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - China
expressed concern over a probe in New Zealand about Chinese-made clothes
that may contain a dangerous chemical, but gave no indication as to whether
the products were unsafe.
-
- The New Zealand government on Monday launched an investigation
into allegations that Chinese-made clothes on sale there contained dangerous
levels of formaldehyde.
-
- '(We are) highly concerned about the reports claiming
that clothes exported from China contain high-levels of formaldehyde,'
China's product quality watchdog said in a faxed statement to Agence France
Presse.
-
- However the General Administration of Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) did not say whether the clothes may be
unsafe to wear.
-
- It also indicated that New Zealand authorities must accept
some responsibility for the products allowed into their country.
-
- 'AQSIQ has not found any technical (safety) standards
in New Zealand concerning the content of formaldehyde in clothes,' said
the administration.
-
- The controversy broke after the New Zealand television
consumer program Target (nyse: http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/CIAtAGlance.jsp?tkr=TGT
- TGT -
- http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=TGT
- news -
- http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=TGT
- people ) reported that some clothing imported from China
contained levels of formaldehyde 900 times higher than was believed safe.
-
- Formaldehyde is used to prevent creasing in clothes and
fabrics but is also linked to health problems ranging from skin complaints
to cancer.
-
- AFP
-
- http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2007/08/23/afx4046687.html
|
