Gov`t orders recall of goods containing asbestos

SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- The government banned the sale of 17 products
containing asbestos and ordered their recall Wednesday in a move to protect
consumers from the cancer-causing material, officials said.
The products include 11 bicycle brands produced or imported by nine companies,
and one brand of electric stoves and refrigerators, according to the Ministry of
Knowledge Economy. The products, all manufactured by small-sized companies, will
be taken off store shelves.
The move comes after the ministry finalized a months-long investigation into a
total of 524 products in 46 categories that began April 5. Most were either daily
necessities or products similarly linked to people's life.
The ministry said that it started the investigation as part of efforts to enhance
consumer safety after discovering several baby powder products contaminated with
the cancer-causing material in early April.
Last month, the ministry announced that it will toughen regulations on the use of
asbestos in industrial products.
Under the regulations, which will go into effect in September, manufacturers will
be banned from using the material in powder-type products and from using talcum,
which contains more than 0.1 percent of asbestos.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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