Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Apple Daily, October 31, 2011
[By Wang Yongchao, Wei Bin, and Shi Xiuhua / Kaohsiung Report]
Today is Halloween, a time when kids and adults love to wear spooky masks for the occasion—but be careful not to buy "toxic masks"! Recently, *Apple Daily* purchased two Halloween masks from a store and sent them for testing. One was found to contain plasticizer levels **300 times higher** than the national standard! The Consumers' Foundation strongly criticized the situation, stating that mislabeled toys should not be circulating in the market. "This exposes a major flaw in the government's inspection system. Consumers should be able to return these products and seek compensation."
During Halloween, stores and toy shops often sell holiday-themed items like ghost masks and pumpkin lanterns. On October 8, *Apple Daily* visited Carrefour’s Fengshan branch in Kaohsiung and randomly purchased two masks imported from China by Songtai Enterprise: a "Festival Party Mask" and a "Halloween Horror Mask." These were sent to SGS Taiwan for testing on October 18.
The results showed shocking levels of plasticizers in the "Festival Party Mask"—31.5% DEHP and 2.56% DINP, far exceeding the national safety standard for toys, which mandates that the total plasticizer content must not exceed 0.1%.
### Packaging Fails to Disclose Truth
The "Halloween Horror Mask" was found to contain DEHP at 0.02%, which complies with regulations.
Rao Yuzhen, a section chief at the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), explained that before 2007, toys were only required to be made of non-toxic materials and clearly labeled if they contained harmful substances. Songtai’s two masks were imported in September 2006 and did not honestly disclose the presence of DEHP and DINP on their labels.
### Retailer Plans to Accept Returns
Rao added that since July 2008, the government has mandated plasticizer testing for toys before they can be imported or sold. While pre-2008 toys were not required to undergo re-testing, the BSMI conducts random market inspections. Violations result in immediate removal from shelves. Retailers who refuse to comply face fines of NT$100,000 to NT$1 million under the *Commodity Inspection Act*.
A Songtai employee, Ms. Qiu, stated that the "Festival Party Mask" was legally imported in 2006 and would be recalled and destroyed if confirmed non-compliant. Chen Yifang, Carrefour’s Southern District Public Affairs Manager, expressed shock upon learning the news and said stores in the region have been instructed to check and remove the products. Once the test results are confirmed, the company will demand refunds from the supplier.
Professor Xu Bingqi from the Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering at National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology was alarmed by *Apple Daily*’s findings: "If there’s oil on the skin, plasticizers can penetrate through contact."
### Wash Hands with Soap After Use
Lin Jieliang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, warned that exposure to plasticizers can cause allergic dermatitis and even trigger asthma. "These masks shouldn’t even be sold!" He advised children to wash their hands with soap after handling such masks and before eating.
### Parents’ Concerns: Government Fails to Protect
**"I thought the government was safeguarding us, but now I know they’re not. I won’t let my child wear these masks anymore. I hope the government will inspect these products to ensure public safety."**
**"I won’t let my kids wear Halloween masks anymore—it’s too risky. Relying on government inspections is unrealistic. It’s better to choose products with safety certifications ourselves."**
**"Now that I know about the excessive plasticizers, of course I’m worried about my child’s safety. I won’t buy them anymore! The government should take responsibility—after all, children are the future of our country."**Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E8……B% B2% E9% 80% 8F- 223000336. html
Halloween Masks: 300x over Toxic Plastic Limit, Skin Absorption Risk
[By Wang Yongchao, Wei Bin, and Shi Xiuhua / Kaohsiung Report]
Today is Halloween, a time when kids and adults love to wear spooky masks for the occasion—but be careful not to buy "toxic masks"! Recently, *Apple Daily* purchased two Halloween masks from a store and sent them for testing. One was found to contain plasticizer levels **300 times higher** than the national standard! The Consumers' Foundation strongly criticized the situation, stating that mislabeled toys should not be circulating in the market. "This exposes a major flaw in the government's inspection system. Consumers should be able to return these products and seek compensation."
During Halloween, stores and toy shops often sell holiday-themed items like ghost masks and pumpkin lanterns. On October 8, *Apple Daily* visited Carrefour’s Fengshan branch in Kaohsiung and randomly purchased two masks imported from China by Songtai Enterprise: a "Festival Party Mask" and a "Halloween Horror Mask." These were sent to SGS Taiwan for testing on October 18.
The results showed shocking levels of plasticizers in the "Festival Party Mask"—31.5% DEHP and 2.56% DINP, far exceeding the national safety standard for toys, which mandates that the total plasticizer content must not exceed 0.1%.
### Packaging Fails to Disclose Truth
The "Halloween Horror Mask" was found to contain DEHP at 0.02%, which complies with regulations.
Rao Yuzhen, a section chief at the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), explained that before 2007, toys were only required to be made of non-toxic materials and clearly labeled if they contained harmful substances. Songtai’s two masks were imported in September 2006 and did not honestly disclose the presence of DEHP and DINP on their labels.
### Retailer Plans to Accept Returns
Rao added that since July 2008, the government has mandated plasticizer testing for toys before they can be imported or sold. While pre-2008 toys were not required to undergo re-testing, the BSMI conducts random market inspections. Violations result in immediate removal from shelves. Retailers who refuse to comply face fines of NT$100,000 to NT$1 million under the *Commodity Inspection Act*.
A Songtai employee, Ms. Qiu, stated that the "Festival Party Mask" was legally imported in 2006 and would be recalled and destroyed if confirmed non-compliant. Chen Yifang, Carrefour’s Southern District Public Affairs Manager, expressed shock upon learning the news and said stores in the region have been instructed to check and remove the products. Once the test results are confirmed, the company will demand refunds from the supplier.
Professor Xu Bingqi from the Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering at National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology was alarmed by *Apple Daily*’s findings: "If there’s oil on the skin, plasticizers can penetrate through contact."
### Wash Hands with Soap After Use
Lin Jieliang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, warned that exposure to plasticizers can cause allergic dermatitis and even trigger asthma. "These masks shouldn’t even be sold!" He advised children to wash their hands with soap after handling such masks and before eating.
### Parents’ Concerns: Government Fails to Protect
**"I thought the government was safeguarding us, but now I know they’re not. I won’t let my child wear these masks anymore. I hope the government will inspect these products to ensure public safety."**
**"I won’t let my kids wear Halloween masks anymore—it’s too risky. Relying on government inspections is unrealistic. It’s better to choose products with safety certifications ourselves."**
**"Now that I know about the excessive plasticizers, of course I’m worried about my child’s safety. I won’t buy them anymore! The government should take responsibility—after all, children are the future of our country."**Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E8……B% B2% E9% 80% 8F- 223000336. html