KEY POINTS:
Chinese-made blankets are the latest products to be recalled because of high levels of formaldehyde.
Up to 800 of the Superlux range of Gainsborough blankets have been recalled from Spotlight stores throughout the country.
The recall comes at the same time TV3's Target found levels of formaldehyde in
children's clothing at 900 times higher than the World Health Organisation's accepted standard.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has since started an urgent investigation into the levels of formaldehyde in clothing.
Prolonged exposure to high levels of formaldehyde, a chemical which acts as a creasing and mildew-resistant agent in clothing and has been used in embalming fluid, can cause respiratory problems and skin ailments.
Fabric wholesaler Charles Parsons New Zealand managing director Andrew Mills said the blanket recall was not due to publicity generated by Target.
Tests completed in Australia two weeks ago showed high traces of formaldehyde. Between 600 parts to 1900 parts per million were found in the glue used to bond the strip to the blankets.
Mr Parsons said it was unclear whether the affected blankets had actually made it to New Zealand but the range had been taken off shelves and people were being offered refunds.
He urged the Government to adopt or set safety standards as his company had to use European standards as a measure as there weren't any available in Australia or New Zealand.
"From our point of view we would like some standards to be set on these things. There are companies trying to do the right thing then there are others who would be quite happy to buy these off us and sell them," said Mr Mills.
In Parliament yesterday Green Party list MP Sue Kedgley said the findings in Target exposed consumer protection regulations in New Zealand as weak and inadequate.
"How can New Zealanders have any confidence that the pyjamas and T-shirts their children are wearing are safe when on the one hand the Government encourages a flood of cheap imports from countries with poor consumer protection and safety regulations, and on the other hand fails to set standards?"
But the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Judith Tizard, was concerned that heavily regulated imports would mean costs would be higher.
"What we cannot do is add massive cost to consumers by assuming all goods imported are unsafe when the vast majority are perfectly safe."
National Party list MP Kate Wilkinson said the Government only became interested in the issue when "the TV cameras turned up". The European Union had had standards on formaldehyde in children's clothing since 1999 and the US also had them.
She said the issue had been clearly raised in Australia in the middle of last year but the ministry Ms Tizard was in charge of for five years had done nothing about it until this week.
Blanket recall
* Gainsborough Superlux blankets bought from a Spotlight store since 2004 can be returned for a full refund.
* The blanket is nylon and velour.
* For any further queries call 0800 800 872.
