In a significant crackdown, authorities have seized nearly 4,000 kilogrammes of discarded materials, including sponges, worn cloth, used wood, and old furniture, which were being used to manufacture furniture and mattresses falsely presented as new.
The Consumer Protection Department in Al Batinah South Governorate made the seizures in Al Rustaq to curb the violations by unscrupulous suppliers and prevent the circulation of unauthorised products.
Mohammed bin Khalid bin Hamoud al Hinai, Head of Market Control Department, explained the circumstances leading to the raids. During a routine inspection of various commercial establishments in the governorate, officials visited a furniture and mattress supplier's factory. There, they discovered excessive waste materials, such as wood, sponge, worn cloth, and used furniture, stored without maintaining health standards. These materials were reused and processed with specialised machines and then distributed as new furniture and mattresses to specialised stores across the Sultanate of Oman.
This devious practice involved recycling these discarded materials through grinding and crushing machines, followed by shaping and cutting to produce furniture and mattresses.
Besides financial implications, such practices have health repercussions. The Consumer Protection Department took swift legal action against the culprits. The seized items were investigated promptly destroyed, and the factory was fined.
The Authority encourages all consumers to report any illicit practices to safeguard consumer health and safety. Consumers have a right to products and services that guarantee their well-being, and the use of used wood, which may expose them to pests and diseases, is entirely unacceptable.
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