Consumer Agency: "Mask Patch Safety Not Verified... Use Should Be Discontinued"

Mask patch example.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] As mask usage has prolonged due to COVID-19, patch products advertised to help eliminate discomfort or odors when attached are being sold, but their safety has not been verified.

On the 8th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that after monitoring 49 mask patch products distributed online, all products were found to have not undergone risk assessment or reporting procedures, and thus recommended manufacturers and sellers to halt sales.

Mask patches, which are attached to masks and used close to the respiratory tract, fall under a new type of air freshener and must undergo risk assessment according to relevant standards, confirm compliance with safety standards, and be reported to the Ministry of Environment.

All 49 products on the market were found to have not followed these procedures. Among them, one product’s business operator stated they would comply with the risk assessment procedures. Twenty-nine product operators responded that they would change the product’s use to general air fresheners. However, even if the use is changed to general air fresheners, they must not be labeled or advertised as usable on masks.

The Consumer Agency stated, "For household chemical products such as air fresheners and deodorants, consumers should check for safety standard confirmation marks and reporting/approval numbers before purchasing, and must use the products only for the purposes indicated."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.