Hangzhou Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau released news on 20 October that it destroyed many batches of imported consumer products, including hot beverage cups and napkins from the United States, plastic spoons from Japan and porcelain oil bottles from bonded areas. These commodities are not compliant with hygienic indexes in mandatory standards of China during legal inspection. Health hazards may cause to consumers if such products are used.

Hot beverage cups prove to be noncompliant with GB 9688-1988 Hygienic standard for polystyrene products used as food containers and table wares. The green peripheral area of the cup may cause decoloration during its contact with consumer’s mouth. There presents risk when such materials are mouthed with beverage. Disposable hot beverage cups are popular in the domestic market of China and greatly associated with our life, so the inflow of unqualified products is certain to pose great threat.

As for U.S. napkins, their smallest packaging is not airtight enough and their fastness is weak. It is easily to see broken packaging and accidental openings, which are noncompliant with GB 15979-2002 Hygienic standard for disposable sanitary products and SN/T 2148-2008 Rules for inspection of disposable sanitary paper products for import and export. Microbiological pollution may be caused under normal conditions during transport and storage due to broken packaging and bad airtightness, while polluted napkins could lead to diseases if used by consumers.

There are red, yellow, blue and green plastic spoons for each set. Each of such spoons from Japan prove to be positive in decoloration test, noncompliant with GB 9688-1988 hygienic standard for polystyrene products used as food containers and table wares. “Made in Japan” is always regarded as a guarantee for good quality in the long run, especially its plastic products. However, these products fail to reach the standard and its bright colors are quite attractive to children, which presents great hazards to consumers (children in particular).


The porcelain oil bottles from bonded areas are made in China. The migration of nickel in the metal accessory (stainless steel) is 0.15mg/dm2 during legal inspection, noncompliant with GB 9684-2011 National standard for food safety—Stainless steel products. As we know, excessive nickel brings about damage to liver and cardiopulmonary functions, affecting synthesis of genetic materials and function of endocrine gland.

It is conspicuous that administrative departments must strengthen their regulation to those imported products to control potential risks to consumers.

Reminder: It is advisable that consumers should make rational choice during selection of imported products. They’d better confirm those products are compliant with safety requirements of China. Besides, companies engaging in import should send their products for test ahead of time to avoid destroy or return caused by noncompliance.