Toxin fears ramp up consumer complaints in July: data

Widespread fear about toxic substances being found in drinking water has led to a spike in consumer complaints regarding water purifiers in July, according to data from the Korea Consumer Agency Monday.

The agency released numbers from its consumer call centers for July, showing that 2,100 people called in with questions about water purifier rentals, making up approximately 3 percent of all consumer complaints.

Over one-fourth of those complaints were concerned with ending rental contracts of problematic water purifiers without paying penalties or with full refunds. Last month, it was reported that ice makers and water purifiers from household goods renter Coway had been releasing trace amounts of nickel into drinking water.

Water purifiers were not the only products to see complaints rise after reports of potential danger. Calls about air purifiers rose nearly eightfold compared to July 2015, and complaints about air conditioners rose by about 50 percent.

The agency attributed the spike in these two product categories to local reports of air purifier filters potentially containing the toxin Octylisothiazolinone (OIT).

Overall, the agency received 68,697 consumer complaints in July, rising roughly 6 percent from June but falling 4 percent on-year.

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)