Skopje, 10 February 2026 (MIA) — State laboratories testing imported consumer product safety should be equipped to screen for harmful substances such as phthalates, which can impair fertility and can be found in everything from plastics to personal care products, state health inspection supervisors said in their latest official report.

According to the State Sanitary and Health Inspectorate's Final Audit Report released Tuesday, many importers either provide insufficient documentation or provide paperwork in foreign languages, which can lead to the import of goods that do not comply with health, safety and sanitation regulations.

The auditors point out that the official list of banned substances in cosmetic products has not been updated since 2010 so products containing banned substances in the EU can still be found on the local market.

The report also notes that state laboratories do not have the technical equipment to test for all banned substances in cosmetics and toys. 

Institute of Public Health laboratories do not test for phthalates, chemical additives banned by the EU that make rubber toys soft and squishy and can lead to developmental and reproductive health issues.

Neither do they test for boron, found in numerous slime, modeling clay and putty products that have been recalled or banned from the EU market, the report said.

According to the report, the labs perform only a few tests, including whether the product is free from harmful microorganisms (such as pathogens, bacteria, mold and yeast) or from only a few heavy metals (cadmium, lead, nickel and chromium).

In light of these findings, the report said, the inspectorate has informed the Ministry of Health that labs do not have the equipment to test for all banned chemicals — around 1,600 — in imported products. 

The inspectorate has also asked health authorities to "equip laboratories with the appropriate equipment that will make it possible to test for as many as possible banned and hazardous substances in products so as to prevent them from being placed on the local market," the report said. mr/