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Consumer group warns of lead in `ghost money'

Twenty percent of the "ghost money" burned in massive quantities during the Tomb-Sweeping Festival contains lead, the Consumers' Foundation said yesterday, prior to the April 4 festival.

Taiwanese tradition dictates that people must prepare food, drinks, "ghost money" and incense as offerings to the gods or their ancestors. After a ceremony, the money is burned for use by the gods or the dead.

The results of a test conducted by the foundation and the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs found lead in six of 30 ghost money samples, foundation chairman Cheng Jen-hung (程仁宏) said.

He said that even though the amount of lead in the samples were under the acceptable limit of 1,000 parts per million, "it is still a health hazard."

"Excessive lead exposure can cause brain damage, learning difficulties and slow growth in children," Cheng said. "Adults suffering from lead poisoning will feel pain in the muscles and joints, and their blood pressure will also rise."

The standard used to test the ghost money is based on EU guidelines, said Julie Chuang (莊素琴), chief secretary of the BSMI.

Of the 30 items tested, 22 were also found to lack clear indications specifying the ingredients, the name of the manufacturer, the weight of the paper and the date of production, Chuang said.

Chuang further suggested that "even if the ghost money meets acceptable standards, it should only be burned outdoors and those handling it should wash their hands afterward."

In order to reduce air pollution and safeguard public health, Cheng urged the public to burn as little ghost money as possible, saying that in the future, the government will make further attempts to promote the burning of "ghost credit cards" or "ghost checks" rather than large amounts of "cash."

The suggestion has been made several times over the last few years but has been very unpopular with the public.
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