By Kim Bo-eun
The largest amount of cancer-causing components was detected in a Yuhan-Kimberly’s sanitary pad product, according to a report by a local daily. The manufacturer holds the largest share in the domestic sanitary pad market.
The largest amount of group 1 and 2 carcinogens was detected in Yuhan Kimberly’s product, in a study by the Korean Women’s Environmental Network and Kangwon National University professor Kim Man-goo.
Last month, the civic group stated 22 harmful substances were found in 10 types of pads of domestic manufacturers, but did not disclose the names of the manufacturers.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer categorizes group 1 as agents being “carcinogenic to humans” and group 2 as “probably or possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
Following the Yuhan-Kimberly product, sanitary products of LGUnicharm, Kleannara and P&G were found to be harmful as well.
The product with the most volatile organic compounds (VOC) as well as around 200 types of harmful substances including carcinogens was Kleannara’s.
But the only product of the top five containing carcinogens which did not contain the group 1 carcinogens trichloroethylene and benzene was the Kleannara product.
After online complaints of the side effects of Kleannara’s Lilian sanitary pads surfaced and prompted the manufacturer to halt sales and offer refunds, a move to take legal action has begun.
Led by law firm Bubjungwon, 3,323 consumers filed a compensation suit with the Seoul Central District Court against Kleannara on Friday.
The amount claimed reaches 9 billion won ($7.9 million), but the amount is expected to increase because the plaintiffs are set to claim additional medical expenses.
This is the first suit, and the law firm is set to file two additional ones, as thousands more women wish to take legal action.
Later this month, it will submit documents for the second suit, in which around 2,000 women will take part.
Unlike a collective suit, in which the ruling is valid also for victims who did not take part in the suit, the ruling for Bubjungwon’s suit will only apply for those who have taken part.
There are two types of plaintiffs in this suit _ those calling for compensation for mental distress, and those also demanding medical expenses.
The former are demanding 2 million won in compensation and the latter 3 million won. The latter will continue to claim for upcoming medical expenses.