FACTBOX-"Made in China" safety scares and scandals
12 Sep 2008 05:44:47 GMT Source: Reuters
(For a story, doubled click on [ID:nPEK350779]) Sept 12 (Reuters) - Chinese authorities are investigating whether tainted baby milk formula led to the death of one infant and caused kidney stones in dozens of others. The scandal revives memories of a fake formula tragedy four years ago in which at least 13 babies died, and follows a spate of product safety scares last year. Here is an overview of safety cases involving China-made products: MILK POWDER -- Dozens of infants treated for kidney stones this week linked to milk formula contaminated with toxic melamine. China is the world's second-biggest market for baby milk powder. In 2004, at least 13 babies died of malnutrition after being fed fake milk powder which contained no nutrients. PET FOOD: -- At least 16 cats and dogs died, and more than 100 pet food brands were recalled in North America in March last year, after Chinese suppliers were discovered to have used melamine in wheat gluten and rice protein in pet food. TOOTHPASTE, COUGH SYRUP: -- Two brands of Chinese toothpaste were banned in the Dominican Republic in May 2007 because of fears that they contained the lethal chemical diethylene glycol, which was held responsible for mass poisoning deaths in Panama in 2006. At least 100 people in Panama were thought to have died after consuming toxic, mislabelled drugs in cough syrups from China. TYRES: -- The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration insisted on the recall of as many as 450,000 tyres made by China's second-largest tyre maker, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd, in June last year. It reported that the tyres, used on sport-utility vehicles, vans and trucks, could fail at highway speeds because of an insufficient or missing gum strip that prevents belt separation. The company rebuffed the accusations. TOYS: -- The world's largest toymaker, Mattel, recalled more than 18 million made-in-China toys a year ago because of hazards from small, powerful magnets that can cause injury if swallowed, just two weeks after it recalled 1.5 million toys due to fears about lead paint. Source: Reuters
Two babies suffering from kidney stones are held by relatives at a hospital in Lanzhou, Gansu province, September 11, 2008. A health scare in China involving babies developing kidney stones after ...
