BEIJING (AFP) - Used condoms are being recycled into hair bands in southern China threatening to spread sexually-transmittable diseases they were originally meant to prevent, state media reported Tuesday

In the latest example of potentially harmful Chinese-made products, rubber hair bands have been found in local markets and beauty salons in Dongguan and Guangzhou cities in southern Guangdong province, China Daily newspaper said.

'These cheap and colorful rubber bands and hair ties sell well ..... threatening the health of local people,' it said.
Despite being recycled, the hair bands could still contain bacteria and viruses, it said.

'People could be infected with AIDS, (genital) warts or other diseases if they hold the rubber bands or strings in their mouths while waving their hair into plaits or buns,' the paper quoted a local dermatologist who gave only his surname, Dong, as saying. A bag of ten of the recycled bands sells for just 25 s en (three cents), much cheaper than others on the market, accounting for their popularity, the paper said.

A government official was quoted as saying recycling condoms was illegal. China 's manufacturing industry has been repeatedly tarnished this year by a string of scandals involving shoddy or dangerous goods made for both domestic and foreign markets.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j0DcqENG9L1Z3TnL94DJdaJuhXfA

Awwww... MadMan... thats just sick.

what next..feather pillows from ducks and chickens contaminated by asian flu???

Why not right?!

Anything to make a buck apparently. Bidness as usual . . .

"Why's this tofu so chewy?"

eeeeewwwww......

I think the only way to solve this problem is to make all condems edible

Well...China has always been concerned about population control. Guess this is just another government sanctioned method.

talk about taking recycling seriously

Some things are just better left incinerated.

then we'd have air pollution

damned if we do damned if we dont

but safety first

OMG!!! Unbelievable.

And we still buy products from them?! I don't think I'll buy any hair products from them.