MEDICAL waste such as drip bags, syringes and needles is being illegally used by Chinese factories to make toys for young children, an investigation has found.

According to an undercover probe, dodgy manufacturers are buying hospital refuse which are then shredded and made into a range of products which also includes bags, tableware and disposable cups.

3 These fun products once contained patients' fluids, it's alleged Credit: CCTV

3 Piles of soiled adult nappies which are allegedly being used Credit: CCTV

The shocking revelations were unearthed by a consumer rights show on the Chinese broadcaster CCTV, reports South China Morning Post.

Undercover reporters visited factories in Henan, Hebei, Shandong and Shanxi provinces and found the cash-saving practice was widespread.

One factory boss told a reporter that it had become “the norm” for local businesses to hospital waste in toys.

Police have raided several of the business exposed in the investigation.

USED NAPPIES MADE INTO PRODUCTS

Among hospital waste toys which are on sale in China and exported are windmills and bubble bottles.

The show also found that soiled adult nappies were being unhygienically recycled into new ones.

A worker told a CCTV reporter: “[the recycled diapers] won’t meet health standards because they’re made from waste.”

Used sanitary pads as well as diapers are dumped into a shredder before made into new products with the users none the wiser.

MOST READ IN NEWS FIT AND FIFTY 'World’s hottest gran' celebrates 50th as fans praise her youthful looks COV-ER & OUT Lockdown-free Sweden 'on brink of BEATING Covid after achieving herd immunity' A-BROCC-ALYPSE US mum posts pic of 'perfect' roast but Brits are fuming over one mistake GRINCHES Mum reveals HUGE Xmas gift haul for daughter - but some parents brand kid 'spoilt' SMOKING GUN Maddie lawyer has 'material evidence' she's dead & pins murder on Christian B 'DIED ALONE' Missing boy, 14, found dead after search volunteers banned over Covid curfew

People in the Chinese social media site Weibo have reacted in disgust and horror.

One said: “What is the bottom line of our society?”

Another asked: “I just want to know what is actually safe for us [to use].”

3 Reusing hospital waste is banned for obvious reasons Credit: Getty - Contributor

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.