NEWS

Chemicals often not on label

A third of household products contain banned chemicals or are not properly labeled to show that they consist of dangerous substances, according to research carried out by state scientists. The General Chemical State Laboratory (GCSL) tested 300 products last year and found that a 10th of them contained unacceptable levels of some chemicals. In total, a third of the products, which included children’s toys, aromatic candles, paint and aerosol sprays, either contained banned chemicals or were not properly labeled. «Even though the packaging and labeling may appear less important, in reality they are the most important source of information for professional users as well as regular consumers with regard to dangerous chemical products,» Maria Apergi, a scientist at the GCSL, told Kathimerini yesterday after the results of the study were presented in Thessaloniki. The research led to 39 products being withdrawn from stores. Ten of these products contained dangerous chemicals. «Not all dangerous chemical substances are banned but they have to be marked properly on containers and labels,» added Apergi. The GCSL said it also conducted 69 inspections at factories making paints, chemicals and petrol products last year. Of the 280 products tested, 23 percent did not have the proper labeling. «This percentage was much better in comparison to past years, when it reached as much as 50 and 60 percent,» said Apergi. Tests by the GCSL on products going through customs also led to 116 products being seized last year. Almost a quarter were imported from China, 19 percent from the USA and 15 percent from Turkey.

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