Seoul gov't finds carcinogens in children's products from Temu, AliExpress

Social Affairs

Published: 25 Apr. 2024, 17:34 Updated: 25 Apr. 2024, 17:56

Seoul gov't finds carcinogens in children's products from Temu, AliExpress

Five shoe decoration charms being sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms are detected to have harmful carcinogens. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Thursday that children’s products sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms Temu and AliExpress are contaminated with carcinogens.

The safety test results were released 10 days before Children's Day and advised consumers to be aware of harmful cancer-causing chemicals, that could be in toys when purchasing presents on Chinese online marketplaces.

The city government revealed that half of the 22 tested products were "unsuitable [for use]" after undergoing tests for hazardous chemicals or materials.

Of 16 attachable shoe charms for children's Crocs sandals, seven were tainted with phthalate plasticizer, a substance used to make plastic more flexible, at levels up to 348 times greater than the national safety standards.

The city’s laboratory testing also showed that some shoe decorations had lead concentrations 33 times higher than the permitted levels.

A sunshade for children available at Temu and AliExpress is found to contain harmful chemicals and an excessive concentration of lead. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Children's car window sunshades sourced from Temu or AliExpress had phthalate plasticizer containment levels 324 times higher than the safety standard. The testing also disclosed that there is a choking hazard.

Phthalate plasticizer is a reproductive toxicant that can harm users’ fertility.

The compound, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, is listed as “possibly carcinogenic” in a classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer under the World Health Organization. The chemical belongs on the same tier as gasoline, engine exhaust and welding fumes.

Lead exposure can negatively affect one’s reproductive ability and increase the risk of having cancer. Exposure during pregnancy can adversely impact fetal brain development and trigger behavioral disorders.

The city government will enforce safety testing mechanisms by monthly identifying and testing products speculated to be in high demand. It will jointly conduct laboratory tests with three other safety testing agencies: Korea Conformity Laboratories, Korea Apparel Testing & Research Institute and FITI Testing & Research Institute.

A Temu-sourced swim cap for children is found to have a lead concentration level 20 times higher than the permitted level. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The inspection scope will expand to other international e-commerce platforms with significant numbers of Korean users. The findings will be publicly disclosed on the official websites of the city government and its Seoul Electronic Commerce Center.

“[The city government] will make testing results available to the public after conducting safety inspections on a weekly basis,” said Kim Kyung-mee, head of the fair economy division of the city government.

Korea’s Incheon Regional Customs said earlier this month that 96 accessories sold on AliExpress and Temu were carcinogenic, carrying chemical compounds exceeding the range believed to be safe. Additionally, the cadmium and lead contamination levels of some products were 10 to 700 times greater than the domestically acceptable level.

On the sidelines, the country’s privacy watchdog, the Personal Information Protection Commission, has been investigating an allegation of a Temu and AliExpress data breach. A probe is also underway by the Fair Trade Commission to identify whether Temu and AliExpress’s advertisements were exaggerated or misleading.

BY MOON HEE-CHUL, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]