HCM CITY — Choosing and using safe homecare products has become a concern among consumers in Việt Nam.

A workshop on safe homecare products was organised at GEM Centre in HCM City’s District 1 on Thursday, with the participation of domestic and foreign experts and doctors.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Ngô Cao Lẫm of the city’s Preventive Medicine Centre, said that costumers should care about the negative impact of low-quality homecare products on health and the environment.

“Unsafe levels of chemical compounds in poor quality products could cause further pollution and health problems, such as eye injuries and skin irritation,” he said.

He gave advice on recognising, choosing and using environmentally homecare products that meet demands of global safe choice standards.

“Customers should look at the product’s composition, chemical ingredients and attributes,” he said.

Dr. Jim S. Pell, a specialist from Amway Corporation, a US company, said customers in the US often choose products based on ingredients, which assures that they are safe.

He said that consumers should look for assurances of safety, including the Safer Choice certificate of the US’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“Products that meet the EPA’s Safer Choice Standard can print the Safer Choice label on packaging and promotions”.

This label indicates that the EPA has evaluated each ingredient for potential human health and environmental effects and that the product contains only those ingredients that pose the least concern among chemicals in their class, he said.

Safe homecare products

EPA is a global creditable third party with more than 40 years experience certifying fair and objective products that are safe for health and the environment.

Amway, a direct-selling business based in the US, was recognised in May as a Safer Choice Partner of the EPA for its achievement in formulating and manufacturing products with ingredients that are safe for families, workplaces, communities and environment. 

Amway Home is one of the first homecare brands in Việt Nam to receive the award.

Dish Drop™ (concentrated washing liquid), L.O.C. ™ (multi-purpose cleaners) and SA8™ (premium concentrated laundry detergent) of the Amway Home™ products with the Safer Choice Formula were introduced this year in Việt Nam. — VNS