Zenith apologises for supplying Hong Kong secondary school uniforms containing toxic chemicals
Company says it did not know about substance, and that it bought material from registered shop about 12 years ago
A Hong Kong school uniform company apologised on Tuesday for supplying clothes that contained cancer-causing chemicals, but said it was also a victim.
“I have to apologise to the parents, schools and school uniform suppliers for making them worried,” said Zenith Uniform’s manager, who gave her name only as Ho.
This came a day after the Consumer Council revealed that uniforms for two Hong Kong secondary schools were found to contain dyes with up to 173mg/kg of 4-amino azobenzene – more than eight times the level allowed in mainland China.
A checked waist belt, made by Zenith, contained 41mg/kg of the chemical, twice the permitted level of 20mg/kg.
Speaking on a radio programme on Tuesday, Ho said the cloth had been bought about 12 years ago from a Sham Shui Po shop – a registered company. She stressed that she did not know that the material contained toxic substances.