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Ministry warns of unsafe accessories in bedrooms

"Half of the samples were unsafe because they contained migratable fluorescent substances, which could cause skin allergies." — Wang Cheng-huei, deputy director of the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection

Fifty percent of bedroom accessories on the Taiwanese market are unsafe, while 32 percent fail to specify the fiber mixture ratio, a survey conducted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs has found.

The ministry’s Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection randomly inspected 22 bedroom accessories, including pillowcases and bedspreads, that were made in China, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Thailand, India and Pakistan.

“Half of the samples were unsafe because they contained migratable fluorescent substances, which could cause skin allergies,” bureau Deputy Director Wang Cheng-huei (王正輝) said at a news conference yesterday.

Explaining the potential harm of the substances, Wang cited a recent case in Japan where toddlers developed eczema from T-shirts containing the fluorescent substances, which he described as varieties of synthetic pigment.

Wang said another seven samples were found to have inaccurate information on the fiber mixture ratio.

“These products failed to meet national standards because the ratios between cotton and artificial fibers were incorrectly labeled,” the deputy director said.

Only 10 out of the 22 samples met all safety standards, Wang said, adding that the makers or suppliers of the other 12 items will be required to recall and destroy substandard products.

The survey did find improvement in that no formaldehyde was discovered in any of the samples, which Wang said was an indication that the bureau’s efforts had paid off.

“We found a total of seven samples containing formaldehyde in previous surveys on bedroom accessories conducted last July, August, September, October and in March,” he said, attributing the change to the push by manufacturers and suppliers to meet bureau standards.

Formaldehyde, if absorbed into the human body, could pose health risks such as cancer, Wang said.

“Consumers can determine by smell if the product is contaminated with the chemical compound, which has a strong odor,” he said.

Wang advised consumers to ensure products are clearly labeled before purchasing them.

“Products including a warranty are a plus because they offer legal backup when requesting compensation,” he said.

To eliminate other infectious substances on bedroom accessories, Wang suggested that users expose the products to sunlight.

“A variety of viruses, such as the enterovirus, can be killed when exposed to the sun,” he said.
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