AmorePacific stops selling toothpastes over 'toxic' chemical
AmorePacific toothpastes are placed on the desk of Rep. Lee Jung-mi of the Justice Party, who revealed during the parliamentary audit on Tuesday that they contain the same chemicals used in the toxic humidifier sterilizers. / Yonhap
AmorePacific, Korea's leading cosmetic maker, said Tuesday it has halted sales of some of its toothpastes containing the same chemicals used in the toxic humidifier sterilizers and will offer full refunds at local retailers without receipts.
On Monday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said that 11 kinds of toothpastes manufactured by AmorePacifc contained a very small amount of chloro-methylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and ordered the firm to recover them from retailers.
"We apologize for using irrelevant materials (in the toothpastes) although we must thoroughly manage all ingredients to offer safe products to consumers," AmorePacific said in a release. "We decided to recall the products as soon as recognizing the fact and will make best efforts to resolve the problem."
Following the announcement, the nation's big three discount store chains -- E-Mart, Homeplus and Lotte Mart -- have immediately removed AmorePacific's products from the shelves and started refunds of the products.
A supermarket staff member removes Median banners from the store in Seoul after the toxic toothpaste scandal emerged on Tuesday morning. / Yonhap
"We are giving refunds to those who bring in the toothpastes without receipts in accordance with the agreement with AmorePacific," an official at E-mart said.
The ministry said the products contained 0.0022-0.0044 ppm of CMIT/MIT, far below the Europe's maximum permissible level of 15 ppm, adding they pose no significant health risks as consumers rinse it with water.
However, consumers remain unconvinced of their safety as the agents were contained in the humidifier sterilizers that have led to over 100 deaths by causing lung problems of infants and pregnant women. (Yonhap)