SINGAPORE: The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) would like to alert consumers to the presence of a toxic chemical found in a broad bean squeeze toy, "Extrusion Bean".
The toy may be the cause of a spate of mass vomiting involving 17 primary six students at Ai Tong School on February 4. MOH뭩 investigations found that they had earlier played with the Extrusion Bean toy and had not washed their hands properly prior to consuming food in school.
Tests conducted on the toy identified the presence of two phthalates ?dibutyl phthalates and diethylhexyl phthalates. Phthalates are substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility and durability. Consumption of phthalates can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, stomach ache and vomiting.
The two phthalates were banned from all toys and childcare items in the European Union in 2005, in view of their long뾲erm toxic effects.
As a safety precaution, CASE and MOH would like to urge all consumers who own the toy to immediately discard it.
Members who come into contact with the toy and show symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, stomach ache and vomiting should seek medical help immediately.
CASE would also like all distributors and retailers of the toy to recall and stop selling the product with immediate effect.
Consumers who had bought the Extrusion Bean toy should inform CASE of the outlet from which they had made the purchase. CASE can be reached at 6463 1811.
[완두콩]CASE, MOH warn of toxic chemical in toy
CASE, MOH warn of toxic chemical in toySINGAPORE: The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) would like to alert consumers to the presence of a toxic chemical found in a broad bean squeeze toy, "Extrusion Bean".
The toy may be the cause of a spate of mass vomiting involving 17 primary six students at Ai Tong School on February 4. MOH뭩 investigations found that they had earlier played with the Extrusion Bean toy and had not washed their hands properly prior to consuming food in school.
Tests conducted on the toy identified the presence of two phthalates ?dibutyl phthalates and diethylhexyl phthalates. Phthalates are substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility and durability. Consumption of phthalates can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, stomach ache and vomiting.
The two phthalates were banned from all toys and childcare items in the European Union in 2005, in view of their long뾲erm toxic effects.
As a safety precaution, CASE and MOH would like to urge all consumers who own the toy to immediately discard it.
Members who come into contact with the toy and show symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, stomach ache and vomiting should seek medical help immediately.
CASE would also like all distributors and retailers of the toy to recall and stop selling the product with immediate effect.
Consumers who had bought the Extrusion Bean toy should inform CASE of the outlet from which they had made the purchase. CASE can be reached at 6463 1811.
?CNA/sc
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20100304/tap-438-case-moh-warn-toxic-chemical-toy-231650b.html