Clipping Board » Environmental Pollution & Change ─ How dirty the human heart is, how dirty the environment will be...
[Reporters Wu Boxuan, Wang Kailin, Lin Shiping / Comprehensive Report]
The Homemakers United Foundation and the News & Market suspect that commercially available laundry detergents contain pesticide ingredients. After six months of investigation, they discovered that "Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent" actually contains the environmental pesticide "Permethrin."
**Homemakers United Foundation Detects "Permethrin"**
Wang Wenhao, a reporter from News & Market, stated that various commercially available laundry detergents claim to be "antibacterial and anti-mite," but their ingredients are ambiguously labeled. Since June of this year, they collected 35 such products and sent them to the Meiho University Agricultural and Aquatic Product Inspection Service Center for testing. The results shockingly revealed that "Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent" contained the pesticide and environmental chemical "Permethrin." To ensure thoroughness, they purchased different batches of the same product, detecting Permethrin concentrations of 76.3 PPM, 37.8 PPM, and 44.6 PPM (PPM stands for parts per million). Compared to the Council of Agriculture's permitted residual level of Permethrin on rice, which is only 0.05 PPM, the detergent exceeded the limit by 700 to over 1,000 times.
**Returns Accepted Starting Tomorrow Until the End of Next Month**
Wang Liya, Secretary-General of Taiwan Miaoguanjia Company, admitted that in addition to the "Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent" containing the pesticide Permethrin, the company also independently tested its "Anti-Mite Cold Wash Detergent," which similarly contained Permethrin. Currently, three products—Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent, its refill pack, and Anti-Mite Cold Wash Detergent—have halted shipments, and retailers have been asked to remove them from shelves. Starting tomorrow, consumers can return these products at any store that carries them, with the return period lasting until the end of January next year. Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent is the market leader, with the three products collectively selling an average of 30,000 units per month.
**Neurotoxic, Potentially Harming Children's Development**
Wu Kunyu, a professor at the Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene at National Taiwan University's College of Public Health, stated that accidental skin contact with Permethrin may cause allergic reactions. The chemical is neurotoxic and, in severe cases, can lead to liver enlargement and lesions. It may also disrupt the endocrine system in developing children.
Huang Jialin, Secretary-General of the Homemakers United Foundation, said the government should address issues such as the lack of national standards for "antibacterial and anti-mite" claims, unclear labeling on laundry detergents, and the health risks of adding pesticides to laundry products, and should establish regulations as soon as possible.
**Ministry of Economic Affairs Promises to Quickly Set National Standards**
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology, and Inspection under the Ministry of Economic Affairs admitted that current national standards for synthetic laundry detergents do not include pesticides or environmental chemicals. They will convene a meeting with scholars and experts this Friday (December 6) to expedite the review and establishment of national standards.
Zhou Zhicheng, the factory manager responsible for R&D and production management at the company, said in an interview that the two products had included Permethrin in their formulations for eight to nine years, sourcing the anti-mite agent from the same importer, "Suiye." When asked why this particular anti-mite agent was chosen, Zhou explained that company tests confirmed its effectiveness in killing dust mites was superior to other brands.
Source: http://www. libertytimes. com. tw/ 2013/ new/ dec/ 4/ today- t3. htm
Miaoguanjia Detergent Recalled for Pesticide Contamination
The Homemakers United Foundation and the News & Market suspect that commercially available laundry detergents contain pesticide ingredients. After six months of investigation, they discovered that "Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent" actually contains the environmental pesticide "Permethrin."
**Homemakers United Foundation Detects "Permethrin"**
Wang Wenhao, a reporter from News & Market, stated that various commercially available laundry detergents claim to be "antibacterial and anti-mite," but their ingredients are ambiguously labeled. Since June of this year, they collected 35 such products and sent them to the Meiho University Agricultural and Aquatic Product Inspection Service Center for testing. The results shockingly revealed that "Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent" contained the pesticide and environmental chemical "Permethrin." To ensure thoroughness, they purchased different batches of the same product, detecting Permethrin concentrations of 76.3 PPM, 37.8 PPM, and 44.6 PPM (PPM stands for parts per million). Compared to the Council of Agriculture's permitted residual level of Permethrin on rice, which is only 0.05 PPM, the detergent exceeded the limit by 700 to over 1,000 times.
**Returns Accepted Starting Tomorrow Until the End of Next Month**
Wang Liya, Secretary-General of Taiwan Miaoguanjia Company, admitted that in addition to the "Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent" containing the pesticide Permethrin, the company also independently tested its "Anti-Mite Cold Wash Detergent," which similarly contained Permethrin. Currently, three products—Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent, its refill pack, and Anti-Mite Cold Wash Detergent—have halted shipments, and retailers have been asked to remove them from shelves. Starting tomorrow, consumers can return these products at any store that carries them, with the return period lasting until the end of January next year. Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite & Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent is the market leader, with the three products collectively selling an average of 30,000 units per month.
**Neurotoxic, Potentially Harming Children's Development**
Wu Kunyu, a professor at the Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene at National Taiwan University's College of Public Health, stated that accidental skin contact with Permethrin may cause allergic reactions. The chemical is neurotoxic and, in severe cases, can lead to liver enlargement and lesions. It may also disrupt the endocrine system in developing children.
Huang Jialin, Secretary-General of the Homemakers United Foundation, said the government should address issues such as the lack of national standards for "antibacterial and anti-mite" claims, unclear labeling on laundry detergents, and the health risks of adding pesticides to laundry products, and should establish regulations as soon as possible.
**Ministry of Economic Affairs Promises to Quickly Set National Standards**
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology, and Inspection under the Ministry of Economic Affairs admitted that current national standards for synthetic laundry detergents do not include pesticides or environmental chemicals. They will convene a meeting with scholars and experts this Friday (December 6) to expedite the review and establishment of national standards.
Zhou Zhicheng, the factory manager responsible for R&D and production management at the company, said in an interview that the two products had included Permethrin in their formulations for eight to nine years, sourcing the anti-mite agent from the same importer, "Suiye." When asked why this particular anti-mite agent was chosen, Zhou explained that company tests confirmed its effectiveness in killing dust mites was superior to other brands.
Source: http://www. libertytimes. com. tw/ 2013/ new/ dec/ 4/ today- t3. htm