(02 March 2021) – Today, the European Commission published its annual report on the Safety Gate, which is the EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products.
The report shows that the number of actions taken by authorities following an alert is growing year by year, reaching a new record number of 5,377, compared to 4,477 in 2019.
9% of all alerts raised in 2020 concerned products related to COVID-19, mostly masks meant to protect but failing to do so.
Other examples for dangerous COVID-19 related products notified in the Safety Gate are disinfectants containing toxic chemicals, such as methanol that can lead to blindness or even death if swallowed, or UV sanitizers that exposed users to strong radiation causing skin irritations.