Banned Insect Killers Sold with Impunity (EcoWaste Coalition Cautions Public vs. "Toxic Household Insecticides")

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From top: photo of banned "toxic household insecticides" and photos of the banned items on sale in Barangay Poblacion, Pateros; Evangelista St., Quiapo, Manila; Commonwealth Market, Quezon City; Pasig Mega Market, Pasig City; Taguig People's Market, Taguig City; Libertad, Pasay City; and Jinbao Super Center, Pasay City.

A health and environmental watchdog has slammed the continued sale in Metro Manila of insect killers tagged by the government as “toxic household insecticides” as it called on consumers to reject the unauthorized products as a precaution against exposure to harmful chemical ingredients.

The EcoWaste Coalition made the warning after conducting market surveillance over the weekend to determine if these “toxic household insecticides” banned by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) last year are still available in the market.

On 28 August 2013,  the FDA banned several unauthorized insecticides, including 9 aerosol insect killers, 6 brands of mosquito coils, an anti-cockroach powder bait, and an insect repellent spray for  being “harmful, toxic and imminently dangerous to human and animal health.”

Last Thursday, 27 March 2014, the FDA advised consumers to buy only household pesticides that have marked authorization issued by the agency, which has jurisdiction over household hazardous substances.

“Our market watch shows that banned insecticides, which did not pass the FDA’s efficacy and safety assessment, are widely sold from P60 to P90 in blatant disregard of the government’s order prohibiting their sale,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.

“The illegal aerosol insect killers and mosquito coils are sold with impunity all over Metro Manila.  You can easily buy them on the sidewalks, market stalls, discount stores and even in some Chinese drug stores that uninformed consumers buy, oblivious to the health and safety risks,” he said.

To stop the continuing trade of such “toxic household insecticides,” the EcoWaste Coalition urged the government to conduct massive consumer information drive and to confiscate  the illegal products in the interest of human and animal health.

It specifically asked the local health and police authorities in all of Metro Manila’s 16 cities and one municipality to lead such drive, and ensure the environmentally-sound storage and disposal of the confiscated products.

Based on the surveillance conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition’s AlerToxic Patrollers, the attractively-packaged insect killers in aerosol cans are easily available in 168 and 999 Shopping Malls and Lucky Chinatown Mall Annex in Divisoria and various retail stores in Quiapo and Sta. Cruz, Manila; Sacramento Market and Kingston Plaza in Guadalupe, Makati City; Marketplace in Mandaluyong City; Baclaran Super Mall in Parañaque City; Baclaran Terminal Plaza Mall, Merwin Pakyawan Center and Two Shopping Center in Pasay City;  Pasig Mega Market in Pasig City; Commonwealth Market in Quezon City; Agora Market in San Juan City; Taguig People’s Market in Taguig City; and in Barangay Poblacion in the municipality of Pateros.

Among the banned aerosol insecticides that are still being sold include Baolilai Aerosol Insecticide, Big Bie Pai Aerosol Insecticide, Big Bie Pai Extra Power Flying Insect Killer, Butiki Water-Based Multi-Insect Killer, General Toad Aerosol Insecticide, Read a Dream Insecticide, Sun Universe Frogking Insecticide Aerosol Lemon, Tianshi Insect Killer, and Wawang Frogking Insecticide Aerosol.

The AlerToxic Patrollers also found other unauthorized insecticides, particularly in Baclaran and Divisoria, including Angel Insecticide Aerosol, Goldeer Insecticide, Kingever Insect Killer Spray and MG Mega Dream Insecticide.

Other banned items found on sale were BaoMa mosquito coil and Green Leaf Cockroach Killing Bait Powder.

Photos documenting the illegal sale of the proscribed household insecticides are available at http://ecowastecoalition.blogspot.com


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http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisories/cosmetic/102371-fda-advisory-no-2013-031

http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisories/cosmetic/150672-fda-advisory-no-2014-021