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Latest China Scare: Kids Clothes
Following tainted toothpaste, lead-painted toys and possibly poisonous dogfood, a new scare has hit Chinese exports: Children's clothing which contain dangerous levels of formaldehyde.
The government of New Zealand has reportedly launched an investigation following findings by scientists on consumer watchdog programme Target TV which suggested that some items of children's clothing had up to 900 times the levels regarded as safe.
The FT says that formaldehyde is used to prevent mold growing on clothes as they are stored and transported: However, in high doses it can cause skin rashes and other allergic reactions. It has even been described as carcinogenic.
The show's production manager Juanita Dobson said that the clothes tested were "randomly selected" and "commonly available" in shops all over the country. Brand names will be released after the show is broadcast tonight.
Also in New Zealand, it is reported that the Warehouse retailer issued a recall for children's pyjamas following injuries to two children whose pyjamas caught fire. Flammable pyjamas is not a specifically "Made in China" issue: Your correspondent's pyjamas and bathrobe both have "keep away from fire" warning labels and they are not Chinese-made. However, these pyjamas were reportedly labelled "low fire danger."
Despite this, it is likely that the scares will hit the image of Chinese manufacturing, if not its sales. China's safety watchdog has said that scaremongering is a form of "trade protectionism", a claim dismissed by Europe's trade commissioner Peter Mandelson, who retorted,
“The allegation that European companies’ action against toxic Chinese goods is politically motivated and shows bias against China is totally false... I will not accept claims of toxicity being used as a pretext for protectionism."
Despite fears, analysts say that the cases represent a "drop in the ocean" of Chinese exports. Toys account for less than 1 percent of China's exports (which surprises your correspondent, as the father of a young child: It is difficult to find toys which are not Made in China). So the 18 million toys recalled by Mattel last week barely register. Foods make up only 1.4 percent of trade. Textiles and clothing, however, make up 13 percent of the total. It is difficult, though, to imagine Europeans and Americans giving up their "five pairs of socks for a dollar" mentality because of possible formaldhyde risk.
That said, there are worries. Tainted Chinese goods have been high on the reasons why readers have come to EURSOC in recent months, according to our site statistics. China has produced a week-long series of television shows to defend its manufacturing industry, according to the Guardian, which says that Believe Made In China praises Chinese quality standards.
The newspaper reports that the Chinese are keen to stress that dodgy manufacturing is not limited to China: The country returned 272 pacemakers to the United States recently following tests which showed that they failed to meet China's requirements.
