Uniforms in two Hong Kong secondary schools found to contain cancer-causing chemicals that were banned in Japan and Europe years ago
Girls’ uniforms for Lingnan and Fung Kai No 1 secondary schools found to contain more than eight times the level of amino azobenzene permitted in mainland China
Uniforms from two Hong Kong secondary schools have been found to contain cancer-causing chemicals from dyes banned years ago in Europe and Japan, the Consumer Council revealed on Monday.
The girls’ uniforms were for Lingnan Secondary School in Heng Fa Chuen and Fung Kai No 1 Secondary School in Sheung Shui, and were sold by at least two of about 40 suppliers in the city.
Both suppliers said they had stopped selling the uniforms and that the toxic material came from mainland China, which had only banned dyes containing more than 20mg per kilogram (mg/kg) of 4-amino azobenzene.
The council found the grey-blue trim on the blouse of the Lingnan school uniform contained 173mg/kg of the chemical – more than eight times what was allowed in mainland China. A checked waist belt for the Fung Kai school uniform contained 41 mg/kg, twice the permitted level.
Wong Yuk-shan, chairman of the council, said when the azo dyes were mixed with students’ body heat and sweat, the harmful chemical could be released and absorbed by the skin.
