On September 1st, 3-year-old Yaoyao (a pseudonym) was supposed to start kindergarten. However, yesterday her father, Mr. Li, angrily requested to withdraw her from the kindergarten. The reason? Multiple wriggling bugs had crawled out of Yaoyao’s newly issued pillow.
When Mr. Li opened the yellow pillowcase, he found several light-yellow insects crawling on the pillow insert, each nearly a centimeter long. Mr. Li said that on the afternoon of August 24th, he completed the enrollment procedures for his daughter Yaoyao at a kindergarten on Chang'an South Road, and received a pillow, blanket, and mattress. As the kindergarten required them to air out the bedding and write the child's name on it, on the morning of August 26th, taking advantage of the good weather, he prepared to air out the new bedding. Just as he opened the pillowcase, he discovered several small bugs on the pillow insert.
At around 11 a.m. yesterday in the principal's office of the kindergarten, staff from the Zhiquan South Road Industrial and Commercial Office inspected this "problematic pillow core" on-site. It was filled with buckwheat hulls, and living moths were found inside.
The principal of the kindergarten stated that these bedding items were recently purchased, and some had already been distributed to the children. So far, only Mr. Li has reported an issue with the pillow. She then presented the inspection report for this batch of bedding from January 12, 2005. A staff member named Chang Jian from the Zhiquan South Road Industrial and Commercial Office pointed out that the quality inspection report for this batch of bedding had expired. Although the filling was buckwheat hulls, the tested item was “fiber content”. He emphasized the need to quickly identify which manufacturer produced these items. Subsequently, the industrial and commercial personnel seized the "problematic inner core" and the remaining 17 pillow inserts, demanding that the kindergarten recall all distributed pillows and bedding for inspection, and hold relevant parties accountable.
Ms. Yang, an expert from the Xi'an Fiber Textiles Supervision and Inspection Institute, explained that pillow core fillings are usually made of synthetic fibers, which are less likely to attract insects. Regular cleaning and airing can ensure safe use. An expert from the Quality Inspection Center of the Xi'an Grain Bureau added that if the pillow core is filled with grain-based materials, they are prone to infestation under suitable temperature and moisture conditions. She recommended steaming or boiling the buckwheat hulls before using them as a pillow core to eliminate bacteria, then drying them thoroughly so they won’t easily attract bugs. Additionally, regular cleaning is necessary. Furthermore, when using traditional Chinese medicine ingredients such as chrysanthemum or cassia seeds as pillow cores, regular washing and airing are also essential.
Intern reporter Liu Zhilong, reporter Geng Yanhong