2010 Feb 03 Poisonous Plastic Plates in Beijing Supermarkets
First there was melamine in the milk, then allegations of mercury in soft drink. Now China Daily is reporting some plastic tableware sold in Beijing markets and supermarkets, including Carrefour and Auchan, is toxic.
The article in today’s China Daily quotes Dong Jinshi, secretary general of the International Food Packaging Association, warning that certain bowls and plates sold in Beijing are “contaminated with urea-formaldehyde resin, a substance that could produce carcinogenic chemicals when heated.”
The article continues: “Dong said the tainted tableware, which is not suitable for food, is sold together with dishes that are suitable for food consumption. He said the similar appearances would likely confuse customers, leading them to purchase unsafe tableware. In the Carrefour Fangyuan supermarket, hundreds of melamine dishes containing the toxic resin were found on sale alongside tableware approved for use with food.”
The dishes in question apparently carry warnings stating, “Container cannot be used as tableware," but the IFPA argues the label fails to make clear that these containers should not be used to store food.
The same China Daily article notes there was a crackdown in 2009 on unlicensed melamine tableware, “after media reported that 80 percent of melamine dishes sampled from five chain stores and eight wholesale markets contained urea-formaldehyde or other ingredients that were poisonous when heated.”
The article states safe melamine tableware carries a “QS logo,” but Beijingers are perhaps better off avoiding plastic dishes altogether and sticking to ceramic and glass – we get enough melamine in our dairy products.
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admin
Re: Poisonous Plastic Plates in Beijing Supermarkets
yes, with ceramic all we need to worry about is lead and other toxic material leaching from the glaze.
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claire_zy
Re: Poisonous Plastic Plates in Beijing Supermarkets
Gee! Anything safe in China??
Claire
shizo
Re: Poisonous Plastic Plates in Beijing Supermarkets
So many people in small restaurants drink hot water out of those little plastic cups. That can't be good.
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Dikran
Re: Poisonous Plastic Plates in Beijing Supermarkets
What about those little plastic boxes that they use it in restaurants for the take away food, or doggy bags, are they poisonous too?? what next??
Gullekian
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walls
Re: Poisonous Plastic Plates in Beijing Supermarkets
How about those cheap ceramic bowls and plates that are made in China but sold in Ikea? It's like 2 yuan a piece. I bought several but I wondered how safe they are.
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