China launches probe into potential chemical risk in diapers

China's top market regulator said an investigation has been launched into reported chemical risk in baby diapers, including claims they contain formamide.

A joint task force involving multiple agencies, including the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, has been set up to verify the claims, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

The team will handle any violations in accordance with the law and release findings in a timely manner, the regulator said.

This came as an investigative report published last week by the Beijing-based Economic Information Daily, a newspaper under the Xinhua News Agency, claimed that some diaper products by Babycare, Huggies, and Bibabebe tested positive for formamide, according to Global Times.

Formamide is a synthetic compound used in some industrial processes and has been classified in certain jurisdictions as a reproductive toxicant.