Toxic chemicals found in products from Chinese retailers Shein, Temu and AliExpress that could pose a health risk

South Korean government officials have found that many consumer products sold by Shein and Temu, two Chinese retail chains known for their cheap, high-quality goods, contain toxic chemicals, many of which cause cancer.

Shein, a company that sells women's clothing and accessories, was found to be supplying products containing toxins that sometimes exceed acceptable levels by hundreds of times. The same goes for Temu and AliExpress, which sell products laced with highly destructive chemicals.

Shein, Temu and AliExpress are known for significantly reducing the cost of consumer goods. However, these discounts come at a high cost to consumer health.

To produce and ship cheap goods at breakneck speed, Shein, Temu and AliExpress are reported to be cutting costs and using the cheapest quality materials, often violating safety standards around the world.

For example, a batch of Shein shoes was found to contain exceptionally high levels of phthalates , chemicals added to plastic to make it more flexible. One pair of shoes tested contained phthalates 229 times higher than the legal limit.

Phthalate is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Cancer Institute.

Caps sold by Shein were found to contain twice the legal limit of formaldehyde , a cancer-causing chemical.

Numerous bottles of Shein nail polish also contained dioxane , a possible human carcinogen known to cause liver poisoning.

Officials in Seoul have demanded that the offending companies immediately withdraw all products containing toxic substances.

The word "China" has become almost synonymous with toxic poisons.