The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Friday it will examine 896 sanitary pad products manufactured or imported by 56 companies over the past three years for volatile organic chemical compounds, or VOCs. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea plans to inspect all sanitary pads currently being retailed for harmful chemicals amid growing concerns about their impact on women’s health.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Friday it will examine 896 sanitary pad products manufactured or imported by 56 companies over the past three years for volatile organic chemical compounds, or VOCs.
VOCs, like benzene and formaldehyde, have a high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature and low water solubility. While not all VOCs are hazardous, a few can pose long-term health risks.
The ministry said it will focus on a few highly dangerous chemicals, including benzene, and will try to wrap up its inspection by the end of September at the earliest.
An activist group, the Korean Women’s Environmental Network, claimed Thursday that six out of 10 users of the controversial Lilian brand sanitary napkins have experienced menstrual disorders including unstable cycles and painful periods due to possible side effects.
In March, the group, alongside a team led by Kangwon National University professor Kim Man-goo, said that 22 kinds of harmful materials were detected from 10 different products.
(Yonhap)
