Manufacturer of controversial sanitary pad began refunds

By Lee Kyung-min

Kleannara, the local manufacturer of controversial disposable sanitary pads, said it started refunding customers from 2 p.m, Monday.

Those who bought products can file a refund request by visiting https://www.thelilian.com/refund/ or calling 080-082-2100. The manufacturer already halted production of all sanitary pads after major retailers pulled its Lilian products off their shelves.

The company initially dismissed customer complaints that they experienced numerous side effects after using its products.

But it decided to give them a full refund following a public outcry coupled with efforts by thousands of women who organized to mount a collective action suit against the “faulty” product.

Law firm Bubjungwon, which represents more than 4,000 women who claim to have suffered from side effects after using the company’s pads, said it will soon file a complaint with a district court seeking damages.

They are among more than 26,000 women who signed up with an online community comprised of women who claim they experienced changes in their menstrual cycles, had significantly light menstrual flow and their period duration reduced. Some said they developed greater menstrual pain as well as skin rashes.

Meanwhile, conflict is ongoing between the besieged Kleannara and a women’s group after the former claimed that the latter unfairly disclosed its name out of ten manufacturers whose products were also found to be problematic.

Kleannara said it plans to take legal action against the Korean Women’s Environmental Network (KWEN), the civic group that first disclosed the names of harmful substances found in 10 types of pads of 22 domestic manufacturers.

The company said that the group disclosed only its name and withheld the remaining nine.

In response, the women’s group said it already handed the list containing the names of problematic manufacturers to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety saying it no longer wishes to be involved in the controversy by making the names public.

Meanwhile, criticism is ongoing over the drug safety ministry’s belated inspection of the disposable pads.

The ministry said it began looking into 896 types of pads from 56 manufacturers, including imported products, to check whether they contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It will announce the findings by the end of next month.

VOCs are organic compounds that easily become vapors or gases and they are released from burning fuel, gasoline, wood and coal.

Examples of such compounds are gasoline, benzene and formaldehyde, the last two of which are listed as human carcinogens.

Meanwhile, criticism has been raised over the validity of the ministry-conducted study.

Currently, sanitary pads are not categorized as medical devices, and therefore manufacturers are not required to disclose all materials used in the products.

Under the current regulation, the products have to only list a few main components.

A bill is pending at the National Assembly under which pad manufacturers must disclose all components on its packaging.