Rubber band looms here safe to wear

Rubber band loom products sold here meet safety standards, Spring Singapore has found.

Earlier this month, the standards agency had received feedback that some of the rubber bands contained excessive amounts of phthalates. These chemicals make plastics more flexible and durable, but they have also been associated with an increased risk of cancer.

Spring Singapore sent samples of the products from retailers for testing to two laboratories accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council.

The products were found to contain a concentration of phthalates within the safety requirement of 0.1 per cent.

Mr Steven Tan, group director for quality and standards at Spring Singapore, said: "As the safety authority for general consumer goods in Singapore, we take feedback on consumer product safety very seriously. We are glad that this was brought to our attention, as it allowed us to look into safety concerns of the product.

"Spring closely monitors international recalls and incidents on consumer products. We will remain vigilant and continue to conduct market surveillance on consumer products."