On Aug 8, 2022, people wearing face masks walk along a side street in Mongkok, a shopping district of Hong Kong. KIN CHEUNG AP HONG KONG Six surgical face mask products sold in Hong Kong showed unsatisfactory results in bacteria tests based on European Union standards, the city s consumer watchdog said on Monday.
The Consumer Council said in a statement that it tested 30 models of single-use surgical face masks of different colors and patterns for filtration efficacy, comfort level, and presence of bacteria.
The council said six models had detected bioburden levels or the levels of unsterilized bacteria that exceeded the limit of 30 colony forming unit per gram under EU standards.
Among these, the model with the highest bioburden had a value that exceeded the limit by over 6 times, showing a worrisome hygiene condition, the council said.
Members of the public need to wear face masks for long hours at school and work to prevent infection or transmission of viruses during the epidemic. It said that if the hygiene condition of the face mask is unsatisfactory, it could cause skin problems on the face.
On the other hand, the council said 29 models had an outstanding filtration performance with an average bacterial filtration efficiency of over 99 percent. The remaining model's filtration efficiency was less than what its manufacturer claimed, ranging from 96.7 percent to 97.3 percent.
The average BFE and average PFE of all models reached 95 percent or above, equivalent to meeting the Level 1 requirement of the America Society for Testing and Materials F 2100 Standard, the council said.
Over 60 percent of the 19 models found to have at least 1 sample with a PFE lower than claimed, reflecting that manufacturers still had room for improvement in maintaining the quality of their products, it was found that all models were able to provide basic protection for the wearer in daily situations.
The council also tested face masks for resistance to penetration by synthetic blood, simulated by the splashing of blood or body fluid onto the mask surface.
Sixty-three percent or 19 models passed the test with excellent performance but two models performed poorly with 7 and 26 samples penetrated by synthetic blood in the test at the lowest pressure 80 mmHg.
The models also underwent a mask harness tension test, with over 20 percent seven models having one among four test samples that were found to be lower than the lower limit 10 N tension set by the national standard.
Three models even had all 4 test samples torn apart at below 10 N, meaning that the ear strap could snap more easily, the council said.
The council urges manufacturers to correct this issue, as the need to change face masks not only wastes consumers money, but it also causes wastage, it added.
In a separate statement, the council said 30 anti-stretch mark products were tested for pregnant and postnatal women and 14 of them had fragrance allergens.
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Four models had potentially harmful substances, such as synthetic musks or phthalates, which may increase the risk of foetal and infant exposure to them through maternal transfer and breast milk.
The council reminds mothers who have close contact with their newborn babies that they should not use anti-stretch mark products on their breast areas, that they should choose products that don't contain potentially harmful substances, it said.