bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Alice Shen

Two of 45 sanitary towel samples tested in Hong Kong were found to have leakage problems while absorption rates among the products differed greatly, the city’s consumer watchdog said on Thursday.
But the Consumer Council claimed none of the 45 samples contained harmful chemicals.
Menstrual pads made by Organyc from the US and Natracare from the UK were found to leak slightly. The products were made in accordance with standards set in mainland China and Taiwan.
“The performance of sanitary towels varied vastly in our absorption tests,” Consumer Council chief executive Gilly Wong Fung-han said.

In addition, the watchdog found the absorption rates of sanitary towels labelled “instant soaking” were as high as five times faster than those that were not.
Prices for the 45 sampled products range from HK$0.42 to HK$4.99 per pad. The tested products were made on the mainland as well as in Canada, Hungary, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Wholesale merchants of British brand Natracare said its products complied with Japan’s standards for sanitary towels. It claimed it presented the council a certificate from an independent laboratory, and argued the liquid used in the tests was different from blood that sanitary pads are meant to absorb.
Shortage of HPV anti-cancer drug Gardasil in Hong Kong prompts protest
Organyc said it did not see any leakage when employing the watchdog’s test method. The brand said its products complied with regulations in Europe and the US. It added that organic products such as its own should not be compared with those that are not.
Another tested product to drew attention was Kotex, which is produced by American personal care company Kimberly-Clark. One of its products was found on its packaging to lack information on the ingredients in its pads.
The council also noted some menstrual pads could contain fragrant materials that were harmful to people allergic to such chemicals.


Chinese EV makers increasingly reliant on exports as domestic sales decelerate

China pivots to ‘investing in people’ strategy as growth engine switches gears

Chinese companies expand globally

Hong Kong’s retail sales rise 5.5% in January as tourists loosen purse strings

Consumers

Two of 45 sanitary towel samples tested in Hong Kong have leakage problems, Consumer Council says

The Consumer Council tested 45 samples of sanitary towels available in Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Yejiminn sanitary napkins for night use, left, and Lilian sanitary napkins for night use, are both rated 2.5 stars, the lowest of its type. 14JUN18 SCMP / Xiaomei Chen

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Society

Outliers made in accordance with standards set in mainland China and Taiwan


The Consumer Council says the two outliers were products made in accordance with standards set in mainland China and Taiwan.


Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Reproductive health

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Two of 45 sanitary towel samples tested in Hong Kong have leakage problems, Consumer Council says

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Outliers made in accordance with standards set in mainland China and Taiwan

Outliers made in accordance with standards set in mainland China and Taiwan