Harmful Substances Found in Claw Machine Toys at Levels Up to 347 Times the Limit

[Anchor]

Harmful substances have been detected in a significant number of plush toys found at claw machine arcades, which are popular among both children and adults. In some cases, substances that can hinder children's growth were found at levels nearly 350 times the legal limit.

Reporter Lee Tae-gwon has the details.

[Reporter]

Colorful stuffed toys fill transparent claw machines.

Offering various products ranging from famous character dolls to key rings, these machines are popular among teenagers and adults alike.

[Kim Se-yong / Seo-gu, Incheon: The characters are quite cute, so I have a desire to collect them, or there is a certain sense of thrill when you successfully win one.]

However, when the Korea Consumer Agency investigated 20 products distributed at unmanned claw machine arcades, harmful chemicals exceeding safety standards were detected in 12 of them, accounting for more than half.

[Kuk Eun-sook / Head of Living Safety Team, Korea Consumer Agency: Lead, cadmium, and phthalate plasticizers exceeding the standard limits were detected in some products...]

In particular, phthalate plasticizers, which are used to soften plastics and act as endocrine disruptors that can hinder children's reproductive functions and physical growth, were detected in 9 products at levels up to 347.5 times the standard limit.

Lead and cadmium, classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, also exceeded standard limits by up to 2.7 times and 1.2 times in 8 and 2 products, respectively.

Furthermore, 10 popular products, including the Chinese character "Labubu," differed in shape and color from genuine items and could not be verified through serial numbers or QR codes for authenticity, indicating a high possibility of being counterfeit products.

Additionally, out of 16 unmanned stores investigated, 4 failed to equip fire extinguishers, and some locations had broken floor tiles or left dangerous items such as knives and gardening shears unattended.

The Korea Consumer Agency plans to share the investigation results with local governments and recommend on-site inspections, while also requesting relevant ministries to strengthen safety management and supervision of products and facilities.

(Video Editing: Kim Yun-seong, VJ: Jeong Han-uk, Design: Jang Seong-beom)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.