Consumer Agency, Results of Marketed Product Survey
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] As home training to build physical strength at home has become popular due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, harmful substances have been detected in some equipment.
On the 29th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that, as a result of investigating the safety and labeling status of home training equipment sold on the market, phthalate-based plasticizers (DEHP·DBP) were detected at levels of 22.3% to 63.5% in the handles of 7 out of 10 lightweight dumbbells coated with synthetic resin.
Phthalate-based plasticizers are chemicals mainly used to make plastics flexible. Prolonged exposure can disrupt the endocrine system and cause damage to the liver and kidneys. They also affect reproductive functions, such as reducing male sperm count and causing female infertility.
Generally, synthetic resin products that are likely to have continuous skin contact in homes or public places, such as mats, bathroom slippers, insoles, and mobile phone cases, fall under "household goods subject to safety standards compliance" and must meet harmful substance safety standards (total phthalate plasticizer content of 0.1% or less).
However, lightweight dumbbells are often coated with petroleum compound materials such as metal, synthetic resin, or plastic for purposes like preventing slipping due to sweat, but they are excluded from the scope of these standards. The Consumer Agency explained that applying the general synthetic resin product safety standards to lightweight dumbbells means that phthalate plasticizers were detected at levels up to 635 times the limit.
The Consumer Agency investigated a total of 26 products, including kettlebells and fitness bands, besides lightweight dumbbells, but phthalate plasticizers were either not detected or detected below the standard in products other than lightweight dumbbells.
Home training equipment is also excluded from the labeling requirements for synthetic resin product safety standards. Among the 26 products surveyed, 25 were found to have partially omitted labeling information required by synthetic resin product safety standards, such as material, country of manufacture, and importer name.
The businesses of the lightweight dumbbell products in which phthalate plasticizers were detected have decided to stop selling those products and improve their quality. The Consumer Agency plans to request the National Institute of Technology and Standards to expand the scope of application of synthetic resin product safety standards.
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