Chemical Bombs at Shein: Trade Association and Greenpeace Sound the Alarm

The environmental organization Greenpeace had 56 clothing items from the online platform Shein tested for dangerous chemicals by an independent laboratory. The results are shocking: Particularly outdoor jackets, both for adults and children, were heavily contaminated with certain PFAS toxins that have long been banned in the European Union because they pose a high health risk. A women's outdoor jacket exceeded the current limit for PFAS toxins by 3269 times. In Austria, the retailer would have to immediately recall such products. However, Shein circumvents EU laws through a loophole.

Outrage at Greenpeace and Trade Association

Madeleine Drescher, consumer expert at Greenpeace: "Our test shows that with Shein, you not only get cheap fashion but often also banned toxins delivered directly to your living room. It is completely incomprehensible that platforms like Shein can so easily circumvent EU laws that are supposed to protect our health."

The trade association also reacts immediately: From the HV's perspective, it is completely absurd that Far East platforms like SHEIN or TEMU can deliver 100 million packages to Austria annually but bear no responsibility for the safety of the products. "Domestic retailers, on the other hand, have to stand for every single CE mark and are visited almost weekly by authorities like the market office," it says in a press release.

"It is completely incomprehensible why SHEIN has not long been banned in the EU. If an Austrian retailer were to sell health-endangering fake products, they would have to close immediately. We finally need legal equality here. Anyone selling in Europe must adhere to our rules," says trade association managing director Rainer Will.

Banned PFAS Toxins and Plasticizers Exceeding EU Values

Overall, Greenpeace purchased 56 clothing items from SHEIN online shops in eight countries and had them tested for toxic chemicals by an independent laboratory. The PFAS test focused on nine products: two pairs of shoes and seven outdoor jackets, including a children's jacket. No PFAS were found in the shoes, but high levels of health-damaging plasticizers were found, exceeding EU limits. All seven jackets contained banned PFAS toxins in amounts exceeding EU limits. A women's jacket exceeded the EU limit by 3269 times. Other products also contained illegally high levels of pollutants such as lead, cadmium, or other plasticizers. Overall, 32 percent of the tested samples exceeded the European limits for dangerous chemicals.

Doctors Sound the Alarm

Environmental physician Prof. Hans-Peter Hutter, spokesperson for Doctors for a Healthy Environment: "No question about it: PFAS have been regulated in Europe for health reasons for a reason. After all, they are substances that can weaken the immune system, disrupt metabolism and the hormonal system, and partly have a carcinogenic potential. Even if the amounts absorbed from the products are not large, it is an additional burden to the many other sources that should be avoided from a medical perspective."

Greenpeace and Trade: EU in Responsibility

If such heavily contaminated products were on sale in Austria, the retailer would have to recall them immediately. But SHEIN uses a legal loophole: The goods are shipped directly from Asia and are therefore not considered purchased in Austria. This means that consumers are legally responsible - and in the worst case, they import illegal products themselves. Many are not even aware of this, they trust that the clothing meets European health standards. Greenpeace therefore calls on the federal government to advocate in the EU for a rapid PFAS ban, the blocking of SHEIN, and the closing of such legal loopholes.

"As long as the EU Commission does not act, Austria must take the lead and take national steps, because there is imminent danger. We do not want toxic packages under the Christmas tree," says trade spokesperson Rainer Will.

"No Toxic Packages Under the Christmas Tree"

The trade also calls for the immediate introduction of platform liability for correct product declaration and appeals to the public not to shop on platforms like Shein when buying Christmas gifts for loved ones, as this can have tangible negative consequences for health.

Link to the Austrian Greenpeace Report

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This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.