The Consumers' Foundation and the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection yesterday said that two brands of paint on the market contain high levels of volatile organic compounds and could cause health and environmental problems.
The bureau yesterday ordered the manufacturers of the two toxic paint products — Rainbow Paint and Bai Li Paints — to immediately recall the products and take them off the shelves or face repeated fines of up to NT$200,000 (US$6,358).
The consumer rights watchdog said that tests conducted on 25 brands of paint currently sold in the country showed that all 17 brands of water-based paints passed safety standards.
It also found that two out of the eight brands of oil-based paints were found to contain volatile organic compounds as high as 29 percent above the maximum allowable level of 450g/liter set by the Chinese National Standard (CNS) 15080, said Yeh Shin-cheng (葉欣誠), an inspector at the foundation.
The foundation said that as do-it-yourself home improvement has become more popular among home owners and more stores sell paint to people for their own projects, the quality standards of paint products and their correct use have become increasingly important.
“Exposure to volatile organic compounds can pose serious health risks, because of their long-term carcinogenic [cancer-causing] effect,” Yeh said.
The foundation and the bureau also found that 10 brands of paint inspected did not properly label information such as place of origin, main ingredients or expiration date.
Consumers who buy paint for their own projects are advised to wear facemasks, and to make sure the area where they are working is well ventilated while painting and until the paint is fully dry.
The foundation also recommends consumers choose water-based paints whenever possible, as oil-based paints are harder to control in terms of the proportion of solvent added and have a more acrid smell.
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