The Customs and Excise Department today (June 3) urged members of the public, especially parents, to stop children from playing with a type of face paints toy set, namely “Fluorescence Horror Makeup Kit”, which was found unsafe.
A Customs spokesman noted that in a recent spot check exercise initiated by the Department, the toy face paints set was found to have failed to meet the safety requirements of the prescribed safety standards for toys.
According to a safety test on the samples of the toy face paints by the Government Laboratory, the soluble migrated element of lead in toy material of green colour of the face paints was found containing excessive lead content of 2,600 mg/kg. Such level far exceeded the prescribed safety limitation of 90 mg/kg.
The spokesman said, “The toys were assessed to have high risk of causing poisoning hazard to children. A total of 10 sets of the toys have so far been seized from an importer cum retailer. The Department has also served a Prohibition Notice under the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance to it prohibiting the supply of the toys concerned.
“Customs follow-up actions are continuing. Prosecution actions will be taken against the company concerned for offences under the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance should there be sufficient evidence,” he said.
Under the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import unsafe toys into Hong Kong.
The maximum penalty for the offence is a fine of $100,000 and an imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and $500,000 and two years’ imprisonment on subsequent conviction.
To report unsafe toys and children's products, please call the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or write to the Consumer Protection Bureau, Customs and Excise Department at 11/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point.
Ends/Wednesday, June 3, 2009
