In reference to what has been circulated through social media regarding the containment of coffee and tea thermoses on hazardous materials, SASO points out that the black dot appearing in some thermoses is a circular piece, which is placed by some manufacturers in the vacuum evacuated of air between the two glass layers of the flask is for the purpose of installation.

SASO pointed out that the piece does not touch the liquid to be holed, and does not pose a threat to consumer safety when using the thermoses as usual. SASO assures the public that the potential threat from such flasks is limited only when exposed to fracture, which results in (exposure to wounds, burns from liquids, direct inhalation of the material which the fixation piece is made of). In the case of flask breakage, SASO recommends consumers to dispose them properly by placing them in sealed plastic bags before disposal in waste containers.

Within its strategic initiative in the product safety program, SASO has withdrawn 174 samples of tea and coffee vacuum flasks (thermoses) to conduct the necessary tests, verify their compliance with the Saudi standard specifications and to ensure that there is no threat to the safety of the consumer. The results of the tests showed that 14% of those samples are non-complying due to containing varying percentages of asbestos in the fixation piece.

SASO also states that asbestos is one of the substances prohibited from being used in Saudi Arabia. If any percentage of this substance is proved in the fixation piece, the regulatory authorities shall be notified to call the product from the market, prevent it from entering the Saudi markets , and to complete the legal proceedings against the contravener.

SASO called consumers to visit its website, to view non-conforming products, and to inform the Ministry of Commerce in case of the presence of these products in the markets. Furthermore, SASO periodically publishes on its website the results of conformity of goods, supported by pictures of products in violation of the approved national standards.