Controversy Over 'Humidifier Disinfectant' Ingredients... LG Household & Health Care to Withdraw Wet Tissue Business Within the Year

LG Household & Health Care's 'Bebience Only7 Essential 55' wet wipes, recalled by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Photo by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] LG Household & Health Care has decided to exit the wet tissue business, which became controversial due to the detection of humidifier disinfectant ingredients.

On the 19th, LG Household & Health Care announced, "We plan to withdraw from the wet tissue business within this year." The annual sales of LG Household & Health Care's wet tissue business amount to approximately 8 billion KRW.

In July, a mixture of the disinfectant preservatives methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) was detected in some children's wet tissue products, leading the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to order a sales suspension, recall, and disposal.

CMIT and MIT are ingredients that were used in humidifier disinfectants, which caused social controversy. In South Korea, they are prohibited from use in hygiene products such as cleaners, rinse aids, and wet tissues.

The problematic product is the 'Bebience Only7 Essential55' (Pinkfong cap 70-sheet wet tissue) with the manufacturing number '1LQ,' and a total of 7,920 units were subject to the MFDS recall order.

LG Household & Health Care stated that they have recalled not only the products with the problematic manufacturing number but also all 320,000 products produced before the MFDS recall order.

Meanwhile, the MFDS plans to impose a three-month sales suspension on LG Household & Health Care's wet tissue products and a three-month manufacturing suspension on the contract manufacturer.

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