Hazardous substances found in children's water toys sold on AliExpress and Shein

Hazardous substances have been found in children's water toys sold on Chinese-operated online platforms — AliExpress and Shein — amid rising demand for such products during the summer season.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday that safety tests on 20 children's water products sold on those platforms — including tubes, swimwear and goggles — found that six failed domestic safety standards set by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The 20 products tested included four each of children's water toys, swimwear and goggles, three swim caps, one pair of shoes, one water play toy and three ultra-low-priced items, all sold on AliExpress or Shein. Of those, the products that failed safety standards were two pairs of goggles, two tubes, one pair of shoes and one swimsuit.

Particularly concerning were children's goggles sold on AliExpress: the ziplock bag containing the goggles tested positive for phthalate plasticizers — which can disrupt the endocrine system — at up to 325.1 times the legal limit, and for cadmium, a carcinogen, at 3.8 times the limit. The goggle body and earplugs also contained phthalate plasticizers at up to 3.4 times the permitted level.

Children's goggles sold on Shein had a left band misaligned by 18 millimeters, failing the standard requiring misalignment of no more than 10 millimeters on either side. During testing, a buckle also detached, producing small parts prohibited in products intended for children under 36 months.

Children's shoes sold on AliExpress contained phthalate plasticizers at 57.4 times the legal limit and cadmium at 2.7 times the limit in their decorative components, along with lead at 17.3 times the permitted level.

Two children's tube products had walls measuring 0.22 millimeters or less, falling short of the domestic standard of at least 0.25 millimeters. A children's swimsuit had a drawstring on the pants that was not secured to the garment and could come loose — a risk the city said could cause the pants to slip down or snag on play equipment or nearby objects.

Phthalate plasticizers are endocrine-disrupting substances that can affect reproductive function, including reduced sperm count, infertility and premature birth. They can also irritate the eyes and skin upon contact. Among them, DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate) is classified as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Cadmium is a carcinogen that can cause bone abnormalities and accumulate in the liver and kidneys, and may damage the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems. Exposure to lead above safe limits can harm reproductive function and increase cancer risk. During pregnancy, lead can affect brain development and cause learning and behavioral problems in children.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has requested that each platform suspend sales of the six products that failed the safety assessment. The full test results are available on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website or the Seoul e-Commerce Center website.