Chinese yoga mats are toxic

Chinese yoga mats containing toxic SCCPs that affect users' health are still being sold and used widely in gyms.

The EU's safety watchdog Rapid Alert System (RAPEX) has just published a list of non-food products considered dangerous, including yoga mats. These mats are said to contain the most toxic substance short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), with the highest measured concentration reaching 6.9% of the product's weight. In the warning list, a series of brands originating from China such as Abilica, Kettler, X-fact all contain toxic SCCPs.

In Hanoi, according to a reporter's survey, yoga mats are commonly sold on the market for 100,000-500,000 VND/piece. This type of mat comes in a variety of colors and is mostly imported from China and Taiwan, and is purchased by many people. In Ho Chi Minh City, in addition to some expensive products from the US and Germany, most sports equipment stores also sell yoga mats from China and Taiwan at very cheap prices. Among them, many items on the warning list contain SCCPs.Causes skin irritation, respiratory disease

Cheap Chinese yoga mats are appearing in many markets

Analyzing the risk of using carpets containing SCCPs, Mr. Lam Quoc Hung, Head of the Food Poisoning Monitoring Department of the Food Safety Department - Ministry of Health, said that in principle, this substance cannot cause acute poisoning. However, it can cause skin irritation, respiratory diseases such as allergies, asthma, and itchy eyes when in close contact with SCCPs in carpets. "The toxicity of this substance is being evaluated. Laboratory research shows that if it accounts for about 60%, SCCPs can cause cancer in mice. In addition, this substance can also affect the thyroid, liver, kidneys, etc. if exposed regularly at high concentrations. However, it is not yet possible to confirm that SCCPs are the cause of cancer" - Mr. Hung said.

According to Mr. Hung, SCCPs are substances used quite a lot in industry and are common in carpets.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Hong Con, a chemistry expert, said that most organic compounds of chlorine are toxic, the higher the chlorine content in the molecule, the more toxic it is. If users inhale SCCPs into the body, they will encounter amino acids, they are likely to be toxic and can cause illness in the long term.

Close contact, high risk of disease

Meanwhile, according to experts in allergy and clinical immunology, people with allergic constitutions when exposed to SCCPs, especially when breathing close to the carpet, have a higher risk of developing the disease.

Doctor Tran Van Ky, Vietnam Association for Food Safety Science and Technology, said: “Yoga practitioners should be careful because when practicing, they sweat a lot, their pores open up, and the toxic SCCPs in the mat penetrate the skin into the body more easily. After that, this substance moves through the blood and accumulates in a certain organ, causing cancer in a certain amount. Once penetrated, SCCPs exist stably in the body, so they are very dangerous.”

To limit these risks, experts recommend that consumers should buy products with clear origins, certified by competent authorities for product quality. In addition, if the product shows signs of decay, it should not be used. For those who regularly use yoga mats and have respiratory problems such as sinusitis, rhinitis or are allergic to odors, or have sensitive skin, they should choose mats made from natural rubber, do not contain toxic chemicals, and are safer when in contact with the skin.

According to NLD