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NEW ZEALAND: Nationwide checking for carcinogenic toxin in clothing

WELLINGTON: Clothing manufacturers, importers and designers have started testing or checking their products for the carcinogenic toxin amid fears of unsafe levels of formaldehyde in fabric.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs is probing the issue, with testing for formaldehyde in a range of clothing from various countries due to start tomorrow.

TV3's Target programme had discovered some children's and adults' clothing on sale in New Zealand had dangerously high levels of formaldehyde. The clothing was from China.

Christchurch-based apparel importer Longbeach Holdings Ltd, last week sent a range of its fabrics and clothing for testing in China when news of the formaldehyde issue surfaced. The company has also planned to increase random testing. Longbeach Holdings started random testing fabric for formaldehyde, lead and certain dyes from its suppliers in China about eight months ago and so far none had been detected.

Fashion Industry New Zealand chief executive Mapihi Opai said she had contacted its members who were textile wholesalers about the toxic fabric debate. "I'd like to get their recommendations on how this sort of issue can best be managed from a regulatory perspective," she said.

Opai said there were many links in the supply chain needing checking, from the raw fibre, printing of textiles to the treatment of cloth. "Its a multi-pronged issue. It goes across all consumer products, not just clothing. It also spans ethical and environmental issues; it's the entire supply chain."

She believed it was common sense for the ministry to widen their investigation to look at all toxins in clothing. However, the ministry confirmed yesterday it was looking only at formaldehyde. Auckland clothing designer Vicki Taylor, of Taylor Boutique, said she was confident her fabrics, sourced from Italy, were formaldehyde-free. However, she had contacted the mills she bought fabrics from to ascertain whether any were using the chemical and if they were she said she would stop buying fabric from them.

An ACC spokesman said an unknown number of people had been paid out for formaldehyde injuries in the past but it was unclear if any were related to exposure through clothing. However, he said people who suspected formaldehyde in clothing had caused health problems would gain ACC cover if their doctors confirmed it was to blame.

International research backed by the World Health Organisation showed formaldehyde exposure in concentrations of 20 parts per million (ppm) could cause eye, skin and nasal irritations, respiratory problems, asthma and cancer. Some of the clothes tested by Target had a reading 900 times that level.

Source: Agencies • News Courtesy: BharatTextile.com