With the Lantern Festival approaching, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection yesterday announced that half of the hand-held lanterns being sold in Taiwan did not meet safety standards.
Many lanterns contain chemicals that pose a health risk, while others have sharp edges that are potentially dangerous to small children.
On tomorrow’s Lantern Festival, many families will take their children to look at lantern displays and buy toys or small hand-held lanterns to celebrate the holiday. However, the bureau found that of the 48 types of toy lanterns it inspected, 24 failed to meet standards.
Nine of the toy lanterns contained illegal levels of phthalate esters, which contain environmental hormones, or chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors, bureau deputy director-general Huang Lai-ho (黃來和) said.
One product was found to contain 250 times the permitted maximum level.
“If a child accidentally puts the toy in his mouth and the chemicals make their way into the child’s body, the chemical could potentially disrupt the child’s endocrine system,” Huang said.
“In serious cases, this can cause liver or kidney problems. For women, the chemicals can increase the risk of breast cancer,” he said.
Aside from containing hazardous chemicals, other substandard lanterns have sharp edges that could penetrate a child’s skin or damage their eyes. Twelve of the lanterns have small parts that, if detached from the lantern, could be swallowed by small children and cause suffocation.
One lantern was found to contain extremely high amounts of lead, which can damage the nervous system.
The bureau said that it has instructed manufacturers to recall the products and retailers to immediately take the products off shelves.
Businesses that do not comply can be subject to fines of between NT$100,000 (US$3,100) and NT$1 million.
Huang urged parents purchasing lanterns or other toys for children to check for a sticker that indicates the product has passed safety requirements. Parents should also take note of whether the toy has sharp edges and long ropes or wires that could wrap around the neck and cause suffocation.
It is also recommended that parents remain close by when children are playing with the toys to ensure that they do not swallow small parts.
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