<Anchor>



When painting a car, there are chemicals that help the paint adhere to the car.

The substance itself is not good for the body, so you should not eat or drink it.

However, there has been a report that the material is used to make a cotton swab for corona diagnosis.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has launched an emergency investigation to see if it is okay to use these chemicals on a cotton swab that is placed deep in a person's nose.



This is the exclusive report by reporter Yoo Su-hwan.



<Reporter>



Hundreds of cotton swabs pass through the yellowish liquid in a plastic container.




The liquid in the bottle is a chemical substance called'car repair primer'.



The main ingredients are toxic substances such as ethylbenzene and toluene, which help the paint stick well when painting cars.



This product's guide says that it is harmful if swallowed without eating or drinking, but it is piled up in one of the cotton swab factories.



This is a subcontractor of a cotton swab manufacturer for corona testing, and it produces the most used products in the country.



[Reporter (ex-employee): Shining because of the corona...

It's 2 million per day, so 40 to 50 million per month (delivered.)]



Car adhesive was used to make the cotton stick to the cotton swab plastic stick.



[Informer (ex-employee): When I pushed it with my nails, the cotton was pushed straight.

To keep it from being pushed, you have to buy a machine called plasma.

I reviewed it, but because it was too expensive, we also used a fixing agent for automobiles.] Since the



corona test swab is classified as a medical device, it must be certified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to determine what material it is made of.



However, it has been confirmed that the use of vehicle fixatives has not been certified.



When I checked with another medical swab manufacturer, they explained that there was no reason to use a vehicle-grade adhesive if the right adhesive was used.



The subcontractor's representative denied the use of the vehicle fixing agent itself, and the



[subcontractor representative: (original contractor) should go over there and ask…

I don't think we used such a blue bucket...

.]



The manufacturer explained that it was not known.



[Woncheong company: This is the first story we also hear.

If they say that chemicals come out, they will take samples and leave them.]



However, looking at the purchase history of the company, I continued to purchase the vehicle fixing agent until October and December of last year and February of this year.



When SBS coverage began, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety began an emergency on-site investigation and hazard test.



(Video coverage: Hyun-cheol Yang, video editing: Ji-in Park)



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Q. Emergency investigation by the Ministry of Food and Drug

Safety

...

What is the confirmation?



[Reporter Yoo Su-Hwan: This corona test swab is a product that has been certified as a 2nd class medical device.

Products used such as cotton and adhesive must be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration in advance and inspected for harm to the human body.

However, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it had not received a submission stating that a car primer, or a paint fixer for vehicles, was used to make the cotton swabs in this problem.

As it is a very sensitive matter, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has investigated whether there are any heavy metals or impurities here, and whether it is safe for the human body through cytotoxicity testing.]



Q. How much is a cotton swab using'primer'?



[Reporter Yoo Su-Hwan: First, let's listen to the CEO of the manufacturing company that is being supplied with this product.]



[Representative of the original company: Until the first half of last year, almost 90% (of the total) was (production).

When Daegu burst, you can



assume

that we did everything, and now it will be more than 50-60%.]

[Reporter Yoo Su-Hwan: Actually, when we interviewed the industry, cotton swabs made here accounted for a significant portion of the domestic production.

Subcontractors using this vehicle fixing agent account for about half of the products produced by this company.]



Q. What is the potential for harm to the human body?



[Reporter Yoo Su-Hwan: We have inquiries from various experts.

First of all, the substance itself, called this vehicle fixative, is a toxic substance.

So, even when using this, it is written to handle it in a well-ventilated place while wearing a mask and gloves.

However, it is said that there is a possibility that toxic substances will evaporate after it is solidified by secondary processing.

However, in order to avoid anxiety, we must immediately stop using such vehicle fixing agents and quickly disclose the results of the Hazard Test by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.]