New standard will hopefully put an end to poisonous playgrounds

A NEW COMPULSORY NATIONAL STANDARD on the synthetic paving materials for primary and middle school playgrounds came into force on Thursday. Shenzhen Evening comments:

Over the past four years, as more and more schools have opted to build new playgrounds paved with visually pleasant synthetic materials, often bright red and green, the flaws of the old national standard, which was drawn up as a reference rather than one to be enforced, have become evident.

Substandard synthetic materials containing dozens of kinds of hazardous materials have caused allergies, nausea, nosebleeds and dizziness.