Wellington - New Zealand researchers have found dangerous levels of poison in children's clothing imported from China, a newspaper reported Sunday. Formaldehyde, a chemical used to give a permanent-press effect to clothes, was found in wool and cotton garments at levels 500 times higher than deemed safe by the World Health Organization, the Sunday Star-Times reported.
Details of the research are to be reported Tuesday on the TV3 channel in the consumer-affairs programme Target.
Dr John Fountain, spokesman for the National Poisons Centre, told the newspaper that international research supported by WHO showed exposure to formaldehyde in concentrations of 20 parts per million (ppm) could cause eye, skin and nasal irritations, respiratory problems, asthma and cancer.
He said that the European Union limits formaldehyde residues in children's clothes to a maximum of 30 ppm and bans 22 aromatic amine dyes, which are known carcinogens.
Research for Target showed that 10 per cent of clothes tested in China contained residues, and some children's apparel had levels of ph, which measures acidity or alkalinity, that could damage skin.
Simon Roy, producer of Target, said that a variety of new clothes were tested including a girl's top, school shorts, a T-shirt and pyjamas.
He said that the results, showing levels of formaldehyde ranging from 230 ppm to 18,000 ppm were so elevated that the research scientists thought they had made a mistake.
The paper said that buyers were advised to wash and air all clothes before wearing them for the first time.
