Children's Day Approaching... Ali and Temu Children's Products Contaminated with Carcinogens

Inspection of Children's Products on Chinese Direct Purchase Platforms
Some Products Contain Harmful and Carcinogenic Substances Exceeding Standards by 300 Times

Ahead of Children's Day, concerns among consumers are growing as harmful substances are pouring out from children's products sold on overseas online shopping platforms, including those of Chinese origin. Although the Seoul Metropolitan Government and others have taken measures to manage the safety of overseas direct purchase products, there are concerns that limitations may exist.

Recently, the Seoul Metropolitan Government analyzed the ingredients of 22 children's products sold on Ali and Temu, and found harmful and carcinogenic substances exceeding the standard by up to 300 times in 11 products.

Test results showed that among 16 shoe decorations (Jibbitz) used to decorate children's slippers and sneakers, 7 contained phthalate plasticizers (DEHP, DBP) exceeding the standard by up to 348 times.

Some products also contained lead levels up to 33 times the standard. Phthalate plasticizers are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." They cause toxicity to reproductive organs and the liver, affecting precocious puberty, infertility, and reduced sperm count. Phthalate plasticizers were also detected at about 324 times the standard in children's car sunshades. Some parts of the products also exceeded lead content standards. Additionally, parts were found to break into pieces even with slight force, posing risks of swallowing and choking.

In earlier inspections, a large number of hazardous substances were also identified. Last month, a safety investigation was conducted on 31 products sold on Ali, revealing that 8 products significantly exceeded allowable limits or had insufficient physical safety such as durability. Among children's leather bags, 4 out of 7 types of phthalate plasticizers (DEHP, DBP, DINP, DIBP) were detected, with the total amount of plasticizers reaching 56 times the standard. DEHP was detected at 35 times the standard in children's pencils, and at 33 times the standard in children's water play products (tubes). The children's tubes were found to have a thickness of 0.19 mm, thinner than the standard (0.25 mm), raising additional concerns about breakage and drowning risks due to durability issues, the city added.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to accelerate its previously announced "Consumer Safety Assurance Measures for Overseas Online Platforms." It is currently focusing on investigating the harmfulness of products sold on overseas online shopping malls and promoting consumer damage relief measures. In addition, items expected to have high demand will be selected monthly, and after consultation with three specialized testing institutions, the actual inspection items will be finalized.