Controversy surrounding information about baby diapers containing formamide

Formamide is a colorless, liquid organic solvent commonly used in industry. This business emphasized that, although current national standards do not have clear regulations, the company still actively tests and prohibits the introduction of this chemical into products through a three-level quality control system.

Huggies is currently contacting the testing organization that cooperates with the newspaper Economic Information Daily (the first press agency to report the incident) to review the testing method, and committed to making the entire review process public for public scrutiny.

The China Paper Industry Science and Technology Association also issued a notice stating that the above newspaper’s test report is incomplete and lacks a scientific basis for risk assessment. The association said formamide is not a necessary additive in the production of baby diapers.

This unit pointed out the content of the newspaper “accusing many products of containing formamide but keeping core information such as specific detection values, organizations, standards, equipment and testing methods confidential. Safety risk assessment must be based on standardized processes and complete scientific data.”

Similarly, Biba Baby also immediately opened a comprehensive investigation and asked a competent third organization to re-inspect the entire supply chain from raw materials to storage. This manufacturer believes that the origin of the test sample and the press unit’s testing process have not been verified directly with the company, so it cannot be concluded about objectivity. Biba Baby affirmed that its production chain absolutely prohibits formamide, and pledged to soon transparently announce re-test results on all information channels.

The source of the incident started from the newspaper’s independent investigation Economic Information Daily announced on June 18, after receiving feedback from many parents about children suffering from recurring diaper rash, irritation, and even skin ulcers. A group of reporters randomly purchased diaper samples on the Chinese market and sent them to a professional testing agency for analysis using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results at that time showed the presence of formamide and 1,2-propanediol in different concentrations in Huggies, Bibaby and Babycare products, according to the report. Economic Information Daily said. In China, regulatory agencies prohibit this in cosmetics, but the national standard for baby diapers currently does not have a testing list or regulations limiting formamide content.

Faced with these concerns, Mr. Yu Zhaoyan, Special Director of the Mass Spectrometry Research and Clinical Application Center of Shandong Province, recommended that the authorities urgently amend national standards and include formamide in the mandatory testing list for diapers to protect health.