EDITORIAL
Made in China: Buyer beware
A Health Canada warning that 24 brands of toothpaste from China sold here contained the toxic chemical diethylene glycol – the same poison falsely labelled as glycerin that was unwittingly mixed in cold medications that have killed at least 100 people in Panama, and probably many more around the world – shows just the tip of the iceberg.
From tainted toothpaste to lead-coated toys to contaminated pet food, China has become Canada’s biggest source of dangerous products. More than 400 Chinese-made products have been recalled since 2005, including 150 toys, 73 household items and 53 baby products. Of the 1,281 consumer products recalled since 2005, 61 per cent of those for which the country of origin could be determined, came from China.
As China’s importance as a source for manufactured products increases, its responsibility to protect consumers of those products grows. The excuse that it lacks resources to monitor safety standards and ride herd on a runaway market are simply unbelievable. China is a Communist state with a planned economy – the government maintains complete control over companies operating there.
Until China takes its global obligations seriously, the onus to protect consumers falls on importers and governments. Companies – their brokers, agents and other intermediaries – that buy goods from China for resale in Canada must be able to guarantee their safety. If they must incur additional costs through testing and quality inspections, so be it.
The federal government must recognize that China represents a threat to consumer safety and increase its vigilance both at the border and in spot checks of warehouses and retail outlets. If the 40 inspectors now conducting these checks are unable to handle the workload, more should be hired. On the diplomatic front, Ottawa should pressure China to subscribe to international quality standards.
Finally, consumers should remember that, while not always the case, you often get what you pay for. Buying the lowest-priced item can mean buying the poorest quality. It’s not worth endangering children with badly made, potentially hazardous or even poisonous products to save a few dollars.
As China develops, the quality of its products should improve. Until they do, every product from China should be subject to extra scrutiny.
