HK Customs warns against unsafe nail polish

 

Photo from HK Customs

If you paint your nails regularly, you should not use three brands of nail polish because they may cause cancer, Hong Kong Customs has advised.

Customs said it had earlier received referrals from a related organization about the three suspected unsafe nail polish products (see photo above) being sold in Hong Kong.

Customs officers subseqeuntly conducted inspections at different districts and test-purchased the three products for safety tests by the laboratory.

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The test results showed that they all contained naphthalene which was a prohibited ingredient as stipulated in safety and technical standards for cosmetics, so the products are suspected of failing to comply with the general safety requirements of the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO).

Customs also found that one of these products only bore warnings or cautions in Korean without any English and Chinese translations, which is in contravention of the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation (CGSR), a subsidiary legislation of the CGSO.

In subsequent operations, Customs officers seized 58 pieces of two of the products from a retailer and importer in Causeway Bay, and a wholesaler and importer in Sheung Wan.

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Customs officers also conducted spot checks and inspections in various districts. None of the three models has been found on sale for the time being.

An investigation is ongoing, Customs said.

Customs reminds members of the public to observe the following safety tips when purchasing and using nail polish products:

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     • Read in detail the instructions for safe use of the products;

     • To avoid inhalation of harmful substances, keep windows open to ensure adequate ventilation when using the products;

     • Stop using the products and seek medical attention immediately if feeling unwell after use;

     • Do not buy or use products from doubtful sources; and

     • Purchase products at reputable retail shops.

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Members of the public with information relating to unsafe or law-breaking consumer goods may make a report via Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or by filling in an online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

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