Wearing masks has become a part of life. Traditional blue or green masks may not meet the trend of Hong Kong people. However, colored or patterned masks are often referred to as carcinogens.
The Consumer Council stated that no carcinogen azo dyes were found in the survey of color masks this time, and the performance of color masks was not worse than that of traditional blue or green masks. Toxic, but may produce carcinogenic aromatic amines under certain conditions. If citizens are concerned about the safety of mask dyes, it is recommended to avoid using colored or patterned masks.
The Consumer Council provides tips on wearing masks to the public. If the mask is too loose and cannot fit closely to the face, consider tying the rubber band around the edge of the mask and tidy it up, then fold the excess mask material and hide it inside the edge of the mask.
Consumer Council｜6 models of 30 color masks contain more than 6 times of bacteria in CASETiFY
▼Consumer Council test claims to meet ASTM Level 3 flat face masks (score from high to low)▼
+13
Although the Consumer Council's test did not find that the common color masks in the market contain carcinogenic azo dyes, there are still many people who have doubts about the safety of color masks.
Ye Xiaoyun, an associate professor at the School of Fashion and Textiles of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said that azo dyes have the opportunity to be used for printing masks, but are more commonly used in the dyeing of other fiber materials or plastics.
Ye said that while most azo dyes are not inherently toxic, some may produce carcinogenic aromatic amines under certain conditions, such as being decomposed by bacteria on the skin, so some countries or regions prohibit their use on textiles and leather. Azo dyes that decompose aromatic amines.
She believes that if consumers are concerned about the safety of the dyes used in masks, it is best to avoid using colored or patterned masks, or choose products that provide relevant dye test reports.
The Consumer Council pointed out that surgical masks are generally regarded as medical devices. There is currently no specific legislation in Hong Kong to regulate the manufacture, import, export, sale and use of medical devices. "Administrative Management System", which includes general medical devices of Class II, III and IV in the table, but surgical masks are classified as general medical devices of Class I, so they are not included in the scope of the table.
The Consumer Council hopes that the authorities can strengthen the regulation of surgical masks and set clear guidelines. It believes that consumers can purchase and use surgical masks with greater peace of mind.
Various government health departments often remind the public to wear masks closely to their faces. The Consumer Council also provides a few tips:
1. Every time you wear a mask, you must check whether it is close to your face. You can put your hands in a cup shape on the mask, check whether there is a gap on the outer edge, and ensure that no air leaks from the position near the eyes or the edges of the mask on both sides;
2 . If the mask fails to stick to the face through the above method, consider knotting the rubber band of the mask at the edge of the mask and tidy it up, and then fold the excess mask material and hide it in the edge of the mask;
3. If the mask is still not close to the face, consider adding a cloth mask to the surgical mask;
4. For safety reasons, people who have difficulty breathing, people who need assistance to remove the mask, and children under the age of 2 who are not under supervision are not recommended to wear masks.
▼Consumer Council Tips on Wearing Masks▼
Consumer Council｜4 anti-stretch marks products tested for artificial musk or plasticizer with the lowest COLLISTAR score Five models were named with full marks and two were the most cost-effective Consumer Council｜The color masks are not inferior to traditional masks. If they cannot fit closely to the face, the rubber band should be knotted Consumer Council｜Tested 12 cooking mixers, German Pool, the most expensive cooking performance, only 3 Minute
