Seoul City Inspects 7 children’s accessories in Shein and AliExpress.
Carcinogens up to 270 times the maximum standard were detected in children’s accessories sold on a Chinese online direct purchase platform.
On the 16th, Seoul City announced that two out of seven children’s accessories such as headbands sold on Shein and AliExpress contained phthalate plasticizers (DEHP·DBP) in a safety inspection. Since the end of April, the city has been revealing the results of safety inspections for children’s toys, school supplies, accessories, and leather products selected each week. The inspection items include the detection of harmful chemicals and durability. Among them, DEHP and DBP were detected up to 270 times the standard in children’s headbands, and DEHP was detected 5 times the standard in children’s watches. Phthalate plasticizers are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that affect reproductive functions such as reduced sperm count, infertility, and premature birth, and can irritate the eyes and skin upon contact. Out of those, DEHP is a potential carcinogen (Grade 2B) designated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Previously, the Korea Customs Service also detected phthalate plasticizers up to 82 times the standard in an analysis of 252 children’s products sold at extremely low prices on platforms such as AliExpress and Temu.