Parents fear kindergarten health hazard

By Jane Chen  |   2009-9-3  |     ONLINE EDITION

PARENTS of 25 children have complained that their kids were exposed to health hazards in a newly decorated classroom at an international kindergarten in Pudong.

They worried that traces of formaldehyde used in the refurbishment could lead to health problems such as leukemia, according to news Website Xinmin.cn.

Although the kindergarten had shown parents a safety report certifying that chemical residues in the classroom were below the national standards, parents worried about the effects of such traces on very young children.

They said they would prefer their children did not use the classroom for another two months to give the chemicals time to disperse.

The kindergarten yesterday agreed to scrap a charge of 2,500 yuan (US$366), half the monthly fee, for parents whose children were kept away from school.