With the banning of sales of "carpet-puzzle" foam in Belgium, consumers groups in France are also asking the government to take the products off the shelves, which are found to release toxic chemicals that could be harmful to the human body. And here in Taiwan, with no mandatory inspections on these items, which are often used as mats for kids, experts are suggesting customers to watch out for the strong smell that is similar to ammonia.

Puzzle foam mats can be found in an array of colors and designs, including cartoon character mats and mats designed to resemble wooden floorboards or rugs.

While some piece them together to pad the floor, other consumers like to suspend them from the ceiling.

Virtually all of the foam mat products available on the market contain polyethylene, which is a common type of plastic.

Mat sales have gone up during recent year-end sales, but many consumer groups are concerned that Taiwan's regulations do not require inspections for this type of product.

A recent European Union ruling will ban products containing formamide starting in 2013, and Taiwan's Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection will decide in the near future whether to follow suit.

In the meantime, everyone should remember that formamide is a colorless, transparent, and soluble toxin that has an odor similar to ammonia.