Claw Machine Dolls Found to Contain Hazardous Substances up to 347 Times the Limit

[Anchor]

Hazardous substances have been detected in a significant number of products found at claw machine arcades, which are popular among both children and adults. In particular, some products contained substances that can hinder children's growth at levels nearly 350 times the legal limit. Reporter Lee Tae-gwon has the details.

[Reporter]

Colorful dolls fill transparent claw machines.

Featuring everything from various popular character dolls to key rings, these machines are popular among teenagers and adults alike.

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

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

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

In particular, phthalate plasticizers, which are used to soften plastics and act as endocrine disruptors that can impair children's reproductive functions and physical development, 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 likelihood of being counterfeit.

In addition, 4 out of 16 unattended stores surveyed failed to provide fire extinguishers, while others had broken floor tiles or left dangerous items such as knives and gardening shears unattended.

The Consumer Agency plans to share the survey 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.