Unknown substances are toxic?

To date, nine provinces and cities across the country have discovered Chinese bras containing unknown substances. 

Local authorities have urgently checked and seized bras with unknown substances. However, relevant agencies have not known what kind of the substances in bras.

According to bra users and inspectors, each bra has two bags containing liquid substance in white or milky white color and three small “pills”. When the bags are cut, the liquid solution has bad smell. If it sticks to skin, it will cause itchy.

According to many experts, the unknown substance cannot be medical silicone because this substance is very expensive. Furthermore, even when it sticks to skin, this type of silicone is very safe and has no harm to health.

Difficulties in inspection

While women are very confused about the information, the authorities have not reached agreement in their responsibility in testing this product.

According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung, deputy director of the Drug Administration of Vietnam, the unknown substances in bras are not determined as "drugs" so the Ministry of Trade and Industry will be temporarily responsible for management and control of this product.

"When things are not clear and there is no specific conclusion, we are very hard to give a warning to consumers. Therefore, we will still have to wait for the results from the relevant agencies," said Mr. Vuong Ngoc Tuan, deputy general secretary of the Association for Standards and Protection of Vietnamese Consumers.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Hien, director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said that in this case, the Ministry of Industry and Trade should be involved because the trade for goods is under its management.

"We can not naturally conduct inspection and collect samples for testing. This does not fall within our functions. But if the Hanoi Market Management Department asks for our participation, we are always ready to coordinate," he added.

The fact is that Vietnam currently has no regulations on quality standards for bras. So even if the market management agency wants to test this product, they do not know how and where.

Mr. Le Viet Phuong, vice head of the Market Management Team 14 of Hanoi said the Hanoi Market Management Bureau called the Institute for Criminal Technology to ask about the assessment of the unknown substances in bras, but this agency was confused because it did not know what criteria to use in testing.

According to Phuong, the assessment will take some time because they would have to identify each component in bag, then making bar code information, etc.

Expected early this week, the Da Nang Market Management Bureau will have the first testing result of the substances.

Source: Vietnamnet