2025.08.25
Swedish Chemicals Agency: "High levels of banned substances in imports"
The Swedish Chemicals Agency recently presented its inspection report on consumer electronics for the year 2024. In this inspection project of all kinds of consumer electronics, the Swedish Chemicals Agency has checked the chemical content and labeling of 177 different products. The analyses have looked for substances that are restricted in the RoHS Directive, the REACH Regulation and the POPs Regulation.
Dropshipping companies worst
The Swedish Chemicals Agency found in this review that products containing prohibited substances were most commonly found in dropshipping stores. Hazardous substances that were found were lead in electrical products, cadmium in jewelry, and chlorinated paraffins and phthalates in soft plastic materials.
For example, KEMI found excessive levels of lead in 60 products. The substance was found in solders inside the products on, for example, circuit boards, speakers and small motors and in some cases also in the plastic in cables.
CE marking scam
According to the RoHS Directive, an electrical product must be CE marked and have an identification mark and a label with the name and contact address of the manufacturer and importer. It is noteworthy that 91 percent of the products that contained excessive levels of substances restricted in the RoHS Directive were nevertheless CE marked. This is directly illegal and undermines confidence in the European CE marking.
Market control is intensified
The Swedish Chemicals Agency's review shows that there are still many electrical products that contain banned substances on the Swedish market. The content of these substances does not normally pose any acute risks to the user, but they contribute to the total exposure to substances hazardous to health and the environment that we are exposed to in our everyday lives and they can have effects in the long term. Since KEMI's market control is to be risk-based, the Swedish Chemicals Agency will continue to review imported low-cost electronics where it is suspected that there are many deficiencies.
More authorities involved
The Swedish Electrical Safety Authority has also commented on the increased risk for consumers of shopping with dropshipping companies.
– A fundamental problem is that there are products that do not meet the requirements and regulations for our European market and that no one can be held responsible because the manufacturer is unknown. And this can apply to products that can pose a risk of electric shock and fire, says Peter Cedmer, inspector at the Swedish Electrical Safety Authority.
The Swedish Consumer Agency also sees risks with products that do not meet European safety requirements. In addition, there are many reports from consumers who feel misled by dropshipping companies and, above all, have problems being able to return ordered products according to the right of withdrawal that exists in Sweden and Europe.
Government crackdown
The problem has been highlighted by politicians and e-commerce from third countries has been debated intensively in both the Swedish Parliament and the EU Parliament. The Swedish government now writes on its website:
– Chinese e-commerce companies must be stopped from sending dangerous goods to consumers in Sweden at unreasonably low prices. The government has previously announced that we want to remove duty-free access for low-value shipments at the EU level. Now we continue to work for increased competition, fewer environmental offenders and stronger consumer protection.
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