Feb 5, 2008, 6:54 GMT
Taipei - Taiwan tests have shown that nearly half of playing cards sampled contained high levels of formaldehyde and most of the offending cards were made in China, a newspaper said Tuesday.
Tests of 55 playing card samples showed that 26 contained formaldehyde residue ranging from 122.7 parts per million (ppm) to 1,691 ppm, much higher than the limit of 75 ppm set by Taiwan, The Taipei Times quoted the Consumers' Foundation as saying.
Of the 26 problematic playing cards, 16, or 61 per cent, were imported from China and one of the China-made playing cards, Motor Brand, had the highest levels of formaldehyde in the tests, the daily said.
The foundation said the formaldehyde was found in the ink and glue used to print playing cards.
Low levels of formaldehyde can cause skin irritation and high levels can cause cancer.
The Consumers' Foundation warned consumers that they should not use cards if they have a strong odor of chemicals. Adults should wash their hands after played a card game, and parents should prevent babies from chewing on cards, it said.
The Consumers' Foundation made the warning ahead of the Chinese New Year, which begins Thursday. During the week-long festival, people in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Chinese communities around the world like to play poker with family members and friends.
Your Talkback on this Story