Kebs has confiscated 583 boxes of substandard cotton earbuds made of wood stem under the brand name Chico in Naivasha and Nyahururu.
The brand did not meet the specifications of Kenya Standard KS 2245 which requires cotton earbuds to be made of a polyethylene stem that does not break when bent to approximately 45º with fingers.
“Wood stick earbuds are a health and safety concern as they tend to break and splinter and may therefore injure the ear canal,” Kenya Bureau of Standards MD Bernard Njiraini said.
During a countrywide market surveillance, Kebs also impounded hundreds of substandard non-woven carrier bags in Nyahururu, which did not meet labelling or branding requirements as outlined in Kenya Standard KNWA 2284 - non-woven polypropylene bags specification.
Knitting yarns by the brand name Brazilian Wool were also seized in Nakuru for non-compliance against Kenya Standard KS 496: Acrylic yarn specification.
The manufacturers have been instructed to withdraw their products from the market and undertake the necessary corrective actions before they can be allowed to sell the products to consumers, supermarkets, and retail outlets.
Kebs monitors the effectiveness of quality control measures for products sold in the country through factory inspections, product certifications, market surveillance activities at the factory, and market to ensure the public is safe from harmful products.
As part of the product certification scheme, Kebs certifies and issues a standardization mark permit or the diamond mark of quality once the product complies with the relevant Kenyan standard.
Edited by EKibii
