Bulgarian Commission for Consumer Rights Protection Alerts for Dangerous Disinfectants, Masks

After the outbreak of the pandemic, very serious attention was paid to groups of goods for personal protection, Dimitar Margaritov, Chairman of the Commission for Consumer Protection, told BNR. He gave as an example combustion alcohol that has been advertized as a disinfectant or offering hypnosis with a psychological effect that would protect from coronavirus.

There have been specific cases where, following notification by the Customs Agency, imports of personal protective gear have been suspended, Margaritov explained. In his words, they also work in good cooperation with the State Agency for Metrological and Technical Supervision.

When a product posing a danger is detected on our market, a notification is to be submitted. In 2020 Bulgaria was second in the Safety Gate rapid alert system in terms of follow-up, Dimitar Margaritov pointed out and defined this as good assessment.

The Commission for Consumer Protection has published a study of the European Commission with recommendations for those wishing to make personal protective equipment at home, Margaritov also announced.

Now, face masks and anti-Covid disinfectants add to the usual toys, clothes or electric materials. The market of dangerous non-food products is expanding, as proven by the yearly report of Safety Gate, the EU rapid alert system that helps recall products that are dangerous for humans. The report states that “the number of times the authorities have had to take measures following an alert is growing year by year, with a peak of 5,377 in 2020, versus 4,477 in 2019”. 9% of the alerts sent in 2020 “concerns Covid-related items, mainly face masks that are unsuitable for the purpose”. Other examples of dangerous products reported by the Safety Gate are disinfectants that contain toxic chemicals, “such as methanol, which may cause blindness or even death if ingested, or UV sanitising agents that have exposed users to strong radiation and caused skin rashes”. The Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, stated: “The Safety Gate has proven to be crisis-resistant. During the pandemic, it helped protect consumers, thus standing out as a key tool to efficiently and quickly spreading information about dangerous products (dangerous face masks, toxic disinfectants) and having them recalled from the market”.

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