Laundry detergent ingredient "HealthGuard" contains insecticide; Ministry of Economic Affairs traces import flow; Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection holds expert meeting today
Miaoguanjia laundry detergent uses the raw material "Australian Health Guard anti-mite antibacterial agent," which actually contains the insecticide "permethrin," and Miaoguanjia even revealed that many brands on the market claiming antibacterial and anti-mite properties all use the same raw material, yet the raw material distributor Suiye Company has stayed silent for two consecutive days, with the switchboard operator saying only: "Senior executives are all on business trips these days, and there is no external spokesperson"; the Ministry of Economic Affairs has been in contact with relevant units over the past few days, hoping to trace the raw material from upstream, and this afternoon will also hold a technical expert meeting to discuss whether to add standards for environmental pesticides in laundry detergent.
NewsMarket (Shangxiayou) investigated 35 laundry detergents on the market claiming antibacterial and anti-mite properties and found that the raw material of "Miaoguanjia Anti-Mite Anti-Allergy Laundry Detergent," the "Australian Health Guard anti-mite antibacterial agent," when tested using the pesticide testing method for fruits and vegetables, actually contained the pesticide "permethrin." Three separate tests detected 76.3 PPM (PPM is parts per million concentration), 37.8 PPM and 44.6 PPM (the allowable residue limit for general fruits and vegetables is 0.05 ppm).
Miaoguanjia took the product off the shelves immediately after learning the news on Tuesday. Miaoguanjia public relations representative Zhou Zhicheng said yesterday that they had already contacted the Australian supplier and the agent in Taiwan, China to gather information on permethrin, and would hold a press conference in the near future to explain to the public, and also hoped the government could establish relevant standards as soon as possible so manufacturers would have something to follow.
However, Suiye Company, the agent for the "Australian Health Guard anti-mite antibacterial agent," has stayed silent these past two days. Company employees said they did indeed distribute this anti-mite antibacterial agent, but senior executives were all on business trips and there was no external spokesperson.
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection of the Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that current regulations require laundry detergent to list its main ingredients, and the Department of Commerce has been asked to check the market for any false labeling, but since permethrin accounts for a low proportion of "Health Guard," it should not need to be listed.
In addition, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has asked relevant units to help clarify the import quantity and distribution flow of "Health Guard," and will hold a technical expert meeting this afternoon, while also inviting domestic laundry detergent manufacturers to discuss whether to establish standards and testing methods for environmental pesticides in laundry detergent.