- BEIJING (AFP) - Used condoms
are being recycled into hair bands in southern China threatening to spread
sexually-transmittable diseases they were originally meant to prevent,
state media reported Tuesday
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- In the latest example of potentially harmful Chinese-made
products, rubber hair bands have been found in local markets and beauty
salons in Dongguan and Guangzhou cities in southern Guangdong province,
China Daily newspaper said.
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- 'These cheap and colorful rubber bands and hair ties
sell well ..... threatening the health of local people,' it said.
- Despite being recycled, the hair bands could still contain
bacteria and viruses, it said.
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- 'People could be infected with AIDS, (genital) warts
or other diseases if they hold the rubber bands or strings in their mouths
while waving their hair into plaits or buns,' the paper quoted a local
dermatologist who gave only his surname, Dong, as saying. A bag of ten
of the recycled bands sells for just 25 s en (three cents), much cheaper
than others on the market, accounting for their popularity, the paper said.
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- A government official was quoted as saying recycling
condoms was illegal. China 's manufacturing industry has been repeatedly
tarnished this year by a string of scandals involving shoddy or dangerous
goods made for both domestic and foreign markets.
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- http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j0DcqENG9L1Z3TnL94DJdaJuhXfA
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