Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection spot-checks cooling mats sold on the market: 2 items exceed formaldehyde limits
Although summer is already over and the solar term has entered the cool Mid-Autumn period, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in order to ensure the quality, safety and correct labeling of cooling mats sold on the market, randomly purchased 20 cooling mat products this year from department stores, shops and retail outlets in the Taipei City and New Taipei City areas to carry out quality testing and labeling inspections. The test results showed that 2 products had "formaldehyde content" that did not comply with national standards, and the preliminary inspection of labeling found that 19 products did not comply with the "Commodity Labeling Act."
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection stated that this sampling inspection was based on national standard CNS 15720 "mat" and carried out 3 quality tests, namely "hydrogen peroxide," "restricted plasticizers" and "formaldehyde content." As a result, the "formaldehyde content" of two cooling mats failed to meet the national standard limit value requirement of 75 ppm or below.
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection stated that these two non-compliant cooling mats were respectively purchased from an unbranded cooling mat at "Wenfeng Bedding Shop" on Leli Road, Da'an District, Taipei City, China, with a formaldehyde content of 79 ppm detected, and the "Mandheling Bed Mat" sold by "Paradise Bird Bedding International Famous Shop" on Songshan Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, China, with a formaldehyde content of 99 ppm detected.
As for the "hydrogen peroxide" and "restricted plasticizers" tests of all cooling mats, all were compliant.
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection stated that formaldehyde is currently a toxic chemical substance announced by the Environmental Protection Administration, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer has confirmed that formaldehyde can cause cancer in animals. Inhaling excessive formaldehyde can cause inflammation of the human respiratory tract, headaches, accelerated pulse and other symptoms, while contact with the skin can cause dermatitis and skin allergies and other symptoms. When formaldehyde concentration is high, it has a pungent odor and can cause extreme discomfort to the eyes and respiratory tract. Long-term exposure to a high-concentration formaldehyde environment may cause respiratory diseases, affect growth and development, and induce tumors and other health hazards.
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection stated that since cooling mat products are not among the items announced by the Bureau as requiring inspection, for the products that failed this quality sampling test, it will, in accordance with Article 10 of the "Consumer Protection Act," guide sellers to remove them from shelves, and request manufacturers or importers to carry out recalls and improvements; in addition, for the parts of Chinese labeling that preliminary inspection found not to comply with the "Commodity Labeling Act," a letter has been sent to the Central Region Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to handle the matter in accordance with the "Commodity Labeling Act."
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection calls on and reminds consumers to pay attention to the following points when purchasing cooling mats:
1. In addition to paying attention to product quality and price, please choose products with clear and detailed labeling.
2. When selecting cooling mat products, it is recommended to first smell them to check for any pungent odor. If a pungent odor is found, there may be chemical residues, and purchase should be avoided as much as possible.
3. In addition, after purchase, the public can first repeatedly wipe the surface of the mat with water, then place it in a ventilated place to dry, so as to reduce chemical residues.