Toxic chemicals found in popular Shein and Temu products

South Korean authorities have discovered that several products from Shein, Temu and AliExpress contain hazardous chemicals far exceeding legal limits, including carcinogens and reproductive toxins.

Le Monde reports with AFP.


In short:

  • One model of Shein's shoes was found to have phthalates at levels 229 times the legal limit.
  • Lead was detected in Temu's sandals, at 11 times the permissible level.
  • Formaldehyde and dioxane were found in various Shein products, posing serious health risks.

Key quote:

"Phthalate-based plasticizers affect reproductive functions such as sperm count reduction, and can cause infertility and even premature birth."

— Seoul environmental health official

Why this matters:

Consumers may unknowingly purchase and use products with harmful chemicals, risking long-term health issues. Regulatory bodies are under pressure to enforce stricter safety standards for these globally popular platforms.

About the author(s):

EHN Curators
EHN Curators
Articles curated and summarized by the Environmental Health News' curation team. Some AI-based tools helped produce this text, with human oversight, fact checking and editing.

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