Don't be fooled by invalid nano labels
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's nanotechnology certification company, NanoVerify Sdn Bhd revealed that there are at least 1,000 products in the country that claim to contain nanomaterials, even though they have not been verified.
This number is greater than the 200 products that have been certified by NanoVerify so far.
Among the products that failed to exhibit nanoelements after going through laboratory testing process were coatings for car care products, cleaning fluids, soil fertilisers and premixed coffee.
NanoVerify Sdn Bhd managing director Johan Iskandar Hasan explained that one in 10 products may not have any nano-related materials at all.
Johan added that the tactic of labelling products as "nano” is aimed at doubling profits by obscuring consumers because products that use nanotechnology are proven to be effective.
A few manufacturers are believed to deliberately label their products with nanoelements simply to attract the attention of consumers.
"In the product, the name nano is placed, for example, on nano cream or nano socks, while the manufacturer themselves claim not to know what nano is or its functions.
"We found out about this because there was a client we tried to approach who admitted that he did not know what nano was and only used the name because he was confident that it would attract more buyers.
"Nano itself is considered a word that has its own style and uniqueness, meaning that if you use the name nano, the product looks sophisticated and can be priced higher," he told Sinar Harian.
Johan Iskandar also stressed that those who mislead the public by making false claims about products can be prosecuted under the Consumer Protection Act of 1999 and the Trade Description Act of 2011.
He added that this includes false claims about the use of nanotechnology, and the individuals involved can be reported to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Ministry for further action.
For information, the NanoVerify programme is also one of the initiatives under the National Nanotechnology Policy and Strategy 2021–2030.
"Therefore, the certification of nanotechnology products must be in line with the requirements set by NanoVerify," he explained.
Johan added that there are now many products in Malaysia that use nanomaterials, including cosmetics, beauty products, and health products.
He added that nanomaterials can create the characteristics that manufacturers want, including antibacterial properties, increased product life, and sun protection factors.
Therefore, it is not surprising that according to the company's census, 60 percent of the 1,200 products in Malaysia that are said to have nano elements are cosmetic products.
"That's why it is widely used in whitening creams, sunscreen creams, toothpastes, serums, and lotions on the market now.
"This material is also used in soil fertiliser. With a nanoscale, it facilitates the absorption of nutrients by plants.
"In addition, we also have the use of nanotechnology as a filter material; there are already many nanomaterials used in water and air filters on the market.
"The advantage is that the size is finer and smaller and can further improve the filtration performance," he said.
In the meantime, he explained that NanoVerify has established a collaboration with the Malaysian Consumer Association (Fomca) in an effort to raise awareness among consumers regarding the use of nanomaterials in Malaysian products starting in 2021.
According to him, consumers need to be informed that nanotechnology products are good, have their own advantages, and can save costs in the long term.
However, it is important for people to make sure that the product is genuine and certified to use nanomaterials.
"Therefore, buyers need to ensure that every nanoproduct they buy has the NanoVerified logo.
"Users are also advised to check the nanoverify.com.my website to identify the list of products and companies that have been confirmed to have nanomaterials and get a certificate from NanoVerify," he said.
