A public health warning has been issued in NSW after three children fell sick from an eyeliner imported from Pakistan that was found to contain lead.
The warning was issued by Matt Kean, minister for better regulation, after elevated blood lead levels were detected in the children, who are all from the same family.
Testing of the Hashmi Surmu Special and Hashmi Kohl Aswad eyeliner products revealed an 84% lead content as well as dangerous metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and mercury.
Kean told 2GB that if "people have these products, they should cease using them immediately, contact Fair Trading, and seek medical advice from their local doctor".
The eyeliners are sold predominantly in stores stocking Indian and Pakistani goods.
Associate professor Naren Gunja, a toxicology specialist from Western Sydney Local Health District, told BuzzFeed News that while the children may not be experiencing lead poisoning, mild lead exposure could still have worrying health effects.
Low amounts of exposure over multiple occasions can "manifest in children as neurocognitive and developmental symptoms — they may have trouble concentrating or they may be confused".
"If larger amounts of lead were swallowed...you would start having symptoms like anaemia, abdominal pain, constipation," said Gunja.
Gunja also notes that the lead could be easily absorbed when applied to the tissue on the inside of the eyelid.
NSW Fair Trading has now referred the investigation to the Australian Border Force and is warning that supplying products such as the Hashmi eyeliner that do not comply with mandatory standards could be punished by a fine of up to $1.1 million.