To learn more, a google search turns up quite a bit: https://www.google.com/search?q=made+in+china+smell

It's hard to describe, but basically it's like a fragrance and toxic chemical odor with some musk and it is very persistent and travels through EVERYTHING like sealed zip lock bags, air-tight containers, wood, tables and stays there forever with the persistence like that of a bad car detailing fragrance. No cleaning product, even ozone treatment will remove this odor. Once it's in something, it's there forever. Even non-porous things like glass and be there for a long time even after cleaning with boiling water. Even after something seems clean, it leeches out slowly over time.

I recently had a couple unpleasant encounters with this and the first time, I had attempted washing the stuff to rid the odor only to permanently contaminate every washing container and rag I had used. I could not even get my hands clean of it. It sat outside, not even in the garage for several days as I negotiated returning the item. Later, I got a package with the same smell and refused shipment. It is a very distinct odor that only comes with some things that have shipped from Hong Kong/China and is possibly the most disgusting and sickening thing I've ever smelled. Some things have traces of the smell on the packaging and others none at all.

Right now, I'm hesitant to order anything from that side of the world without knowing if it will be laced with this sort of chemical(s). I'm looking for feedback for different online stores you've purchased RC parts and and give your feedback as to whether or not this is an issue for me or anybody else who's wanting to know.

Hmmmm ... have you by chance looked at some of the dental hygene products, name brand ones as it is, that are made in China. When finished there, pop over to your grocery store and look at the canned fruit selection. Notice where many of these products are canned.

It gets even better when one considers that many of the hobby parts on the market are made in that part of the world and they do not smell at all. Heavens only knows what horrid trace chemicals are still on the product. I particularly like the childrens toys, they don't smell at all but the lead paint does seem to be a problem though.

I suspect you are already buying 'from that side of the world' and are not aware of doing so.

The modern life is full of chemical products in some fashion or the other and are hard to avoid. Even perfumes, hair dyes and the makeup that our ladies use on a daily basis, and we get how close to them every day?

I once had a friend that was a runner, he always complained of side stream smoke from others cigarettes .... but he would go run 8 miles in congested traffic all the while deeply breathing in car and bus exhaust fumes. He died from lung cancer. Go figure.

I think you are over reacting a bit.

In response to you[obake], I'm not overreacting and doesn't relate to some anecdotal hypocrisy. You have not had this specific issue as you would surely understand. Most places I've ordered stuff from have not had this problem, but every now and then it happens. It has only come from a few Chinese or Hong Kong ordering sites and some random Chinese ebay sellers. I haven't had this issue with the few RC toys I've bought, but other things. I was hoping to get some feedback here as to which are better places to order from and which to avoid. Nothing I've ever come across in a local store that's been made in China has ever had this problem; only a couple mail orders shipped directly to me.

OK ... then why bring this matter up on a RC site if you have not had the issue with the few RC toys you have bought? Your link drags in various issues with Chinese manuctured products as a whole, no specific RC products. As long as you order from vendors that have a good track record such as Horizon Hobby, Towers, Great Planes, HeadsupRC, SUSA, ESPRIT, and yes Hobby King you will probably do OK.

On the other hand if you are a bargain hunter and insist on buying from Ebay and other entities that permit most any person or any company to sell most anything they want, regardless of EPA or govermental standards, then you are at risk.

As to who to avoid, hard to say. Vendors will sell what they can sell. The manufacturing process is the culprit of the odor, not the vendor. Some product may stink and some may not. The ones that do not stink can still be just as dangerous as the ones that do stink.

Ya right. Maybe you can point us towards the government standards that regulate toxic emissions from foreign manufactured products.
I bought some vinyl flooring from home depot that stunk so bad I had to remove 1000 sq ft of the product at my expense. The asthma attacks came with the flooring and left with it. I have never had any lung problems in my life, and no longer do.

What the hell is a "toxic chemical odour"? I'm a chemist and I have never met a general one.

Generally a lot of odours are due to plasticisers and to a lesser extent unreacted components. An example is the new car smell. The odour will gradually drop over time as the volatile materials are lost or reactions mostly complete.

Avoid anything made from very flexible PVC it will contain a lot of plasticiser. Odour and strength will depend on which plasticiser and how much was used.

The OH&S people at my former employ gave everyone a health pack with a PVC water bottle which reeked. By the time I got the ordour in a low enough amount to consider for use, the bottle had become brittle.

Which of these vendors have you purchased from before?

It's not just RC parts. I remember reading Amazon reviews of something a few months ago, don't remember what it was, but almost all of the reviews complained of the smell. Most were just like you, it had to go out of the house, the smell went right through a plastic bag, contaminated everything it touched and the product was completely unusable.

This isn't some odd one time thing that's confined to RC parts.

All of the ones listed except HeadsUpRC. Of course I have not bought one of everything that any of them sell but, over the years never a problem with the bad odor you are asking about.

Maybe I have been lucky but never a bad smelling part, at least nothing worse than the avearge 'new part' smell. However, that average 'new part' smell may be too much for some people and I do know a few folks that are sensitive to strong odors. These 'new part' odors do not bother me but oddly enough, the flowerly/powder perfume that old women wear does bother me.

I bought a LED Head Lamp from a Crazy Clarks and the plastic smelled like the pesticide I use to spray around the house. I felt very uneasy about this smell so I binned them just because of this reason.

Exactly. I haven't encountered that smell lately but it was in the rubber/plastic cases of small led flashlights, small portable air compressors and many other items. Seems to be occurring less in my experience.

Sounds like the aroma in a Harbor Freight store.

China is killing us with there plastic junk!

Mostly we find it in the shipping boxes from China.

Possibly they are making the cardboard from recycled toilet paper?