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The Korea Food and Drug Administration detected asbestos, category-1 carcinogenic substance, in 12 baby powder products on the market from eight companies and banned the sales of those products and ordered an immediate recall.
In this regard, at the KFDA’s request, the Korea Consumer Agency (President Myung-hee Park, www.kca.go.kr) issued a consumer safety alert including providing information on asbestos-detected baby powder talc on the market and urging not to purchase baby powder products that are banned from sale and distribution.
❑ Inappropriate items (12 tainted products including one raw material product)
o The KFDA collected 30 kinds of baby powder talc products(including raw material) to conduct a test and found that some of the products contained the deadly substance. The state-run institution called for an immediate recall of asbestos-detected products as in the following:
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Company
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Product
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Location
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Daebong LS
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Allo and Lugh Baby Compact Powder
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Inchon
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Duksan Pure Chemicals
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Duksan Talc (raw material)
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Gyeonggi-do
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Rakhee Pharm
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Rakhee Baby Powder
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Gyeonggi-do
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Sung Kwang Pharm
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Cutiemaman Baby Powder
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Gyeonggi-do
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UCL
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Babyra Baby Compact Powder
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Incheon
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Babyra Baby Powder
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Boryung Medience
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Boryung NUK Baby Powder
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Gyeonggi-do
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Boryung NUK Baby Colored Compact Powder
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Boryung NUK Baby Compact Powder
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Boryung NUK Clinic Baby Powder
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Korea Monica Pharm
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Monica Baby Powder
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North Chungcheong
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Korea Kolmar
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La Couvee Baby Powder
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South Chungcheong
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o The toxic material contamination is presumably occurred in the manufacturing process that failed to get rid of asbestine form fibers in talc (a mineral that can contain asbestos), the main raw material of baby powder products.
※Talc is a mineral that are used for diversified usage from medicines, cosmetics, lagging, and fire-proofing.
❑ How harmful is asbestos
o Aforementioned, talc is a mineral with strong insulating and enduring capability and is used for insulating, lagging, and fire-proofing materials.
o According to an evaluation report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (the IARC), asbestos is classified as Group 1 in terms of carcinogen rating. Asbestos is known to cause lung cancer or malignant mesothelioma.
o In Korea, the Occupational Safety and Health Act bans manufacturing, import, and use of products containing more than 0.1% asbestos.
❑ Directions for consumers
o Consumers who are using or keeping asbestos-containing baby powder products are advised to stop the use immediately and dispose them or return the products to stores where those products are purchased.
o Consumers, who come to know the existence of asbestos in baby powder products, are advised to report the fact to the KFDA.
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Supplementary coverage
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Hae-gak Lee, Head of Food & Pharmaceutical Safety Team of Consumer Safety Bureau (☎ 02-3460-3411)
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Ji-min Park, Manager of Food & Pharmaceutical Safety Team of Consumer Safety Bureau (☎ 02-3460-3417)
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