The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has raised an alarm about the detection of a cancer-causing agent, Azo Dyes in school uniforms manufactured by two China-based companies, Sing Shun Fat School-Clothier Company and Zenith Uniform Company.
The Director General of SON, Osita Aboloma made this known in Abuja on Friday stating that the “azo dyes” found in some school uniforms in Hong Kong contained up to 173 milligrams and 41 milligrams per kilogram of the tested samples respectively.
According to SON, “The Azo dyes which were found in some school uniforms in Hong Kong has been banned in Europe, Japan and other parts of the World prior to the finding. Azo dyes could release carcinogenic substances known as aromatic amines when they mix with sweat, which accounted for the ban on the use of the dye in many countries of the world.”
Aboloma advised importers of school uniform materials in Nigeria to undergo the process of conformity assessment of such materials prior to import through the SON off-shore Conformity Assessment Programme to avoid bringing them to the country.
He also called on Nigerians to report any suspected uniform materials that may already be in the country to SON for necessary sampling, laboratory tests and analysis to be carried out at its Textile and Leather Laboratory in Kaduna for necessary regulatory action.
