Concerns over formamide in baby diapers in China emerged following an independent investigation by the Economic Information Daily, published on 18/6. The investigation was prompted by numerous parental complaints about children experiencing recurring diaper rash, irritation, and even skin ulceration. Reporters randomly purchased diaper samples from the Chinese market and submitted them to professional testing agencies for analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
The newspaper reported that the test results indicated the presence of formamide and 1,2-propanediol at various concentrations in products from Huggies, Bibaby, and Babycare. Formamide is a colorless, liquid organic solvent commonly used in industry. While China's regulatory bodies prohibit formamide in cosmetics, national standards for baby diapers currently lack a testing catalog or regulations limiting formamide content.
Immediately after the information spread, a representative for Huggies, a brand of the US-based Kimberly-Clark corporation, issued a statement on 19/6. The company asserted that authorized independent testing agencies found no formamide in its diaper samples. Huggies emphasized that despite current national standards lacking clear regulations, it proactively tests for and strictly prohibits the inclusion of this chemical in its products through a three-level quality control system. Huggies is also contacting the testing organization that collaborated with the Economic Information Daily to review the testing methodology, committing to publicly disclose the entire review process for public oversight.
Similarly, Biba Baby launched a comprehensive investigation, requesting an authorized third-party organization to re-examine its entire supply chain, from raw materials to warehousing. The manufacturer stated that the origin of the test samples and the testing process used by the media outlet had not been directly verified with the company, making it impossible to conclude objectivity. Biba Baby affirmed that its production chain strictly prohibits formamide and committed to transparently publishing the re-examination results across all information channels soon.
The China Paper Association also issued a statement, noting that the newspaper's test report was "incomplete and lacked a scientific basis for risk assessment." The association pointed out that the newspaper's report "accused many products of containing formamide but withheld core information such as specific detection values, organizations, standards, equipment, and testing methods. Safety risk assessment must be based on standardized procedures and complete scientific data." The association further stated that formamide is not a necessary additive in the production of baby diapers.
Given these concerns, Yu Zhaoyan, Director of the Shandong Provincial Mass Spectrometry Research and Clinical Application Center, recommended that authorities urgently revise national standards to include formamide in the mandatory testing list for diapers to protect public health.
Binh Minh (According to Economic Information Daily, Jiupai News, Ifeng, Guancha)
